A map shows species-threat hot spots linked to consumption in the United States. The scale bars indicate the total of all the fractions of threats to land or marine species caused by the U.S.
Maps Reveal How Global Consumption Hurts Wildlife
As international trade threatens vulnerable species and natural resources, new maps show some unexpected connections.
In a world driven by a globalized economy, the biggest threat to an endangered species is often fueled by consumer demand thousands of miles away. And this makes protection of wildlife and biodiversity an even more daunting task.
Now scientists have traced these economic pressures back to their origins and mapped the spots where major consuming countries are threatening biodiversity around the world. The researchers hope the work can help exporting and importing countries work together on conservation efforts, many of which are still focused on local issues.
“Conservation measures must consider not just the point of impact, but also the consumer demand that ultimately drives resource use,” write Daniel Moran of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and
