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Open research questions in Environmental Conservation and Management

25 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 724 Environmental Conservation and Management papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Originality/value This paper contributes a reproducible, evidence-grounded six-theme classification of biodiversity accounting studies (N = 122) and an integrative heuristic that links methodological innovations, disclosure practices and socioeconomic outcomes; thereby revealing both an empirical concentration on disclosure and an under-researched policy-relevant gap in public-sector and accountability-focused research.

    Biodiversity research: a systematic literature review and direction for future research · 2026 · DOI

  • There is some lack of agreement on the usefulness of the approach, problems with the oversuse of monetary valuation in policy appraisal, isolation of work, policy processes and government departments and difficulties in the communication of the benefits of the NCA.

    Policy Officials’ Views on Challenges and Opportunities to the Use of the Natural Capital Approach to Promote Environmental Improvement in England · 2026 · DOI

  • The FIEA development has set out two primary objectives: (i) To develop a unified Framework for integrated ecosystem assessments that ensures applicability for scientific assessments as well as decision-making in both public and private sectors, integrates ecological, economic and social dimensions, incorporates considerations of ecosystem condition, services and accounting approaches and provides the level of detail required to implement integrated ecosystem assessments; and (ii) to achieve this development through a collaborative interactive co-creation process involving diverse potential target users, thereby enhancing the Framework's relevance, adaptability and practical applicability. The FIEA fulfils these objectives as a flexible Framework that combines, integrates and streamlines insights from multiple sources across different sectors. It assembles ecological, economic and social aspects, making it applicable in various contexts to support scientific assessments, as well as decision-making in both public and private sectors. The Framework’s modular design allows it to be customised to diverse needs and requirements. Thus, it has proven its suitability for practical use in real-world applications. As the FIEA includes sub-steps for assessing ecosystem condition and also includes ecosystem accounting, it naturally takes into account recent scientific developments in this area. The step-wise co-creation approach was vital in shaping the FIEA. By working closely with scientists, public and private sector representatives, as well as civil society organisations, the Framework was refined to ensure it is applicable while meeting real-world needs. In conclusion, the FIEA stands as an integrated and flexible framework, including step-wise guidance required for implementation, that supports Framework for Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (FIEA): A structured approach ... 27 ecosystem assessments and decision-making relevant for, for example, the creation of scientific evidence, environmental planning, restoration measures, business management and policy development. It bridges the gap between theory and practice, helping to incorporate ecosystem services into decision-making and fostering sustainable management practices.

    Framework for Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (FIEA): A structured approach to support evidence-based decision-making · 2026 · DOI

  • The FIEA will serve as the foundational structure for the SELINA Compendium of Guidance. The tailor-made Compendium is a highly anticipated SELINA outcome, designed to effectively communicate project results to potential users and transform these outcomes into actionable knowledge. By doing so, it aims to support scientific progress and to facilitate the uptake of ecosystem assessments in both public and private decision- making contexts. The interactive tool will incorporate clickable elements and links to additional materials, thus transforming the complex structure into a more accessible and engaging format. Explanation boxes and pop-up descriptions will provide users with immediate guidance on technical terms and complex concepts. Through the Compendium of Guidance, scientific guidance from the SELINA project and beyond will be made available, aligned with the FIEA’s steps. The guidance is anticipated to be tailored to diverse target users across different sectors and levels of technical expertise offering customised pathways through the Framework to address varying objectives and information needs. It will integrate a filter system enabling users to customise its application, enhancing its modular nature, for example, allowing context-specific applications as well as simpler “one-off/ad hoc” modular use of specific steps. Considering the co-created, reality-checked and very comprehensive new framework, the FIEA has the potential to complement already existing frameworks and to become a major tool to guide integrated ecosystem assessments.

    Framework for Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (FIEA): A structured approach to support evidence-based decision-making · 2026 · DOI

  • For instance, future studies could examine differences in responses and perceptions across stakeholder groups or geographical regions; investigate the determinants of restoration success or failure; or assess how responses vary according to the restoration objectives pursued (for instance, whether stakeholder participation or perceptions of restoration success differ amongst objectives).

    Restoration information: A European database of ecological restoration knowledge from stakeholder surveys · 2026 · DOI

  • This review provides a comprehensive overview of how EC indicators are used in ES assessments, offering critical insights for scientists and policy-makers to design robust ecosystem assessment strategies. The conclusion follows the structure of the three research questions outlined in the Introduction. Related to the types and characteristics of the EC indicators used in ES assessments, this review identified that EC indicators focused on terrestrial ecosystems, with a strong emphasis on cropland and multiecosystem assessments, whereas marine ecosystems are notably under-represented.

    Towards Integrated Ecosystem Assessments: A literature review on linking ecosystem condition indicators to ecosystem services · 2026 · DOI

  • Gaps in the literature include the need for broader geographic coverage; assessment of the issues' specificity to private land conservation; and evaluation of the extent to which issues in the literature reflect broader societal values.

    A review of critical perspectives on private land conservation in academic literature · 2019 · DOI

  • Further, it discusses knowledge gaps in (1) translation of information on island biodiversity and ecosystem functions into ES; (2) geographical coverage of mapping studies in most ORs and OCTs; (3) the lack of standardised approaches and integrated assessments to map, assess and value ecosystem services.

    Hotspots of biodiversity and ecosystem services: the Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union · 2018 · DOI

  • In this paper we use a case study of the Rhine River to examine the relevance of Common Pool Resource (CPR) Theory for two conditions in which it has not been extensively tested: large scale international water management and pollution problems.

    From Sandoz to Salmon: Conceptualizing resource and institutional dynamics in the Rhine watershed through the SES framework · 2014 · DOI

  • While theorists and practitioners consistently call for widespread participation in ecosystem management and environmental planning in general, few studies have empirically tested the assumption that community representation and stakeholder participation during the planning process will lead to stronger, more durable management plans.

    Measuring the Effects of Stakeholder Participation on the Quality of Local Plans Based on the Principles of Collaborative Ecosystem Management · 2003 · DOI

  • We argue that the lack of standardized methodological and reporting frameworks for spillover analysis has led to inconsistent sampling designs and unmatched spatial and temporal scales of analysis.

    A Review and Critique of Methods and Knowledge Gaps in Quantifying Spillover Effects from Protected Areas · 2026 · DOI

  • However, OECM effectiveness is constrained by land-use pressures, climate change, governance fragmentation, and limited data availability.

    Conserving biodiversity beyond protected-area networks in Mediterranean countries: challenges and opportunities for OECMs · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research on trend-shifts, as well as bold action on underlying levers, is urgently needed to meet 2030 global conservation targets.

    Business-as-usual trends will largely miss 2030 global conservation targets · 2024 · DOI

  • Abstract Although street‐level bureaucrats (SLBs) play a key role in the implementation of market‐based instruments (MBIs), their participation is widely understudied.

    Between hierarchies and markets: How street‐level bureaucratic autonomy leads to policy innovations · 2023 · DOI

  • Nevertheless, in Bulgaria, like in many other countries, there are few studies on the specific mechanisms, modes, factors, and efficiency of agro-ecosystem survives governance.

    MECHANISMS AND MODES OF GOVERNANCE OF AGRO-ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN BULGARIA · 2021 · DOI

  • We suggest that stakeholder collaborations are one understudied tool that functionally reincorporates wildlife resource uses into the existing property regime.

    Biodiversity Loss, Viewed Through the Lens of Mismatched Property Rights · 2020 · DOI

  • The article finds that while there are a number of legally binding and soft law frameworks, mechanisms and initiatives related to sustainability, their impact upon servitized European industry remains to be fully discovered.

    Ecological modernization through servitization: <scp>EU</scp> regulatory support for sustainable product–service systems · 2018 · DOI

  • However, several challenges remain to be tackled, such as how to establish robust partnerships between forest owners and hunters for managing moose on land with a fragmented property rights structure.

    Conflict resolution through ecosystem-based management: the case of Swedish moose management · 2013 · DOI

  • A national policy such as N o Net Loss, where wetlands are saved or created in designated areas and destroyed in others, is insufficient when it ignores critical benefits for localities.

    Local Governance Versus Centralization: <scp>C</scp>onnecticut Wetlands Governance as a Model · 2013 · DOI

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25 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 724 Environmental Conservation and Management papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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