Nature’s big gamble: Charting risks, unlocking rewards

Pioneering nature restoration projects are set to be examined by nature-centric governance specialists in a new £1.8 million study. 

Accelerated by climate change, scientists say there may be as little as 20 years left to head off the worst biodiversity impacts in Britain. Tackling this properly means listening to everyone affected, from local communities to nature itself, so that species and ecosystem rewilding and restoration are done fairly and responsibly.

The research, funded by the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) and led by the University of Reading, will look at the potential challenges and benefits of novel environmental interventions, from species reintroductions to gene editing. 

For example, genes from other species can potentially be introduced into trees to make them more resilient to the stresses of extreme heat and drought, as well as certain diseases, that are expected to worsen under climate change. Alternatively, natural adaptation of trees could be ‘sped up’ by new selective breeding approaches.

Marzia Briel, an expert in regulation and governance at the University of Reading, who leads the project, said: "The climate is changing fast, and to protect and restore nature, we need to look at every solution available to us. Our approach will make sure nature's intrinsic value is respected, and that systemic risks from new environmental solutions are spotted early in the research and development process."

Working with diverse stakeholders

The project is part of ARIA's Accelerated Adaptation programme. Backed by £54 million, the programme is looking to demonstrate that we can demonstrably and responsibly accelerate the adaptation of wild species in the face of a rapidly changing environment. It aims to build the scalable tools, models, and governance foundations to unlock a genuine new option for conservation, complementing established stewardship and the essential work of reducing the pressures driving nature's decline

Over the next two years, the team will assess pioneering pilot nature restoration projects to weigh up their risks and rewards. 

Complex problems such as biodiversity restoration need to incorporate divers stakeholders with plural (multiple) value framings. The IPBES Global Values Assessment, approved by 139 member states, including the UK, stated: “Despite the diversity of nature’s values, most policymaking approaches have prioritised a narrow set of values at the expense of both nature and society, as well as of future generations”. 

Restoration is shaped by multiple actors and involves multiple impacted groups, yet is rarely fully co-created from inception, leading to environmental solutions that have high risks and minimal impact. Viewpoints which de-centre the human, and account more appropriately for the intrinsic value of nature, place greater emphasis on nature being protected for its own sake, surpassing the dominant forms of restoration focused on instrumental and economic values of nature.

The project seeks to provide vital tools and safeguards restoration, alongside a governance approach that uses systems thinking and respects the intrinsic value of nature, to maximise chances of success and minimise unintended consequences.

The project is led jointly with Dr Alexandra Davey of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Professor Tom Oliver, of Reading, and Dr Adrian Ely and Dr Joanna Smallwood, both of the University of Sussex, are also on the team.

Notes to editors: 

Dr Marzia Briel is available for interview. Contact the University of Reading Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk to arrange.