The 2018 Biodiversity Science Conference was held at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh on 5 & 6 November. Its theme was ‘Biodiversity Conservation Post 2020: New Challenges and New Approaches’  highlighting that the run up to 2020 is a critical time for biodiversity conservation, both nationally and internationally.  Species and habitat conservation faces a wide range of well-known but also new and poorly-understood challenges.  However, new initiatives and rapid changes in technology and thinking bring the promise of new solutions.

Jane Smart, Global Director, IUCN Biodiversity Conservation Group and Director, IUCN global Species Programme provided the keynote talk at the evening event.