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Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity
HomeLeverhulme Centre for Anthropocene BiodiversityResearch programmesMoulding the future

Moulding the future

The Anthropocene perspective that humans are integral to the Earth system releases us from the mind-set that human impacts are wholly negative.

However, humans are unlikely to leave change entirely to chance.

This programme considers whether we can build a future in which humans foster further gains in biodiversity, without compromising human wellbeing or risking historic biodiversity.

This programme has been building as the Centre develops, with the implications of the results and conclusions from the Biodiversification, Philias and phobias, and Utility programmes feeding into Moulding the Future.

Areas of interest

  • Society-biodiversity feedbacks, aiming to analyse and model feedbacks between human attitudes, benefits humans obtain from nature, and biological diversification; seeking ways to facilitate the future growth of beneficial elements of biodiversity.
  • The ideal climate, considering the desirability of returning to pre-industrial temperatures, or would a different temperature trajectory be preferable?
  • Conservation and cultivation, given that some elements of biodiversity are growing in the Anthropocene, what approaches to environmental thinking and management could we adopt if we wish to increase biodiversity further?

News and views

News

Making conservation more inclusive: Launching a horizon scan on thepractical realities of implementing the Principles for Inclusive Nature Action

3 February 2026

Jamie Carr highlights the growing call for rights-based, locally led conservation – andhow an international horizon scan will help reveal what it takes to make this vision areality.

News

Strategy over morality can help conservation campaigns reduce ivory demand, research shows

8 January 2026

Research has shown that conservation campaigns could turn the tide on the illegal ivory trade if they focused less on themes of ‘guilt’ and more on why people want to buy ivory in the first place.