The world in which we live and work is constantly changing and evolving – the precise nature of the future that actually unfolds is inherently uncertain, but we need to have a view on what uncertainty may look like. This report sets out the big things that we consider will influence the natural environment, our conclusions are grounded in evidence, they are not predictions.
The report provides a synthesis of global drivers of change that represent the most significant trends, factors and pressures that could affect the natural environment to 2060. Some factors should be regarded as wild cards – highly improbable events but with significant impact should they happen. The findings in this report have been used to inform the development of our scenarios for the natural environment.