Global ecosystem degradation and collapse threaten UK national security and prosperity. The world is already experiencing impacts including crop failures, intensified natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks. Threats will increase with degradation and intensify with collapse. Without major intervention to reverse the current trend, this is highly likely to continue to 2050 and beyond.
This national security assessment draws on a broad range of sources, including both scientific literature and expert judgement. It is not a scientific report. It assesses a reasonable worst case scenario and applies the uncertainty frameworks used in intelligence assessments. Its aim is to support UK national security planning by identifying risks to the UK from global biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.
