Drivers and solutions to Southeast Asia’s biodiversity crisis

Southeast Asia’s terrestrial ecosystems harbour extraordinary levels of species diversity and endemism, shaped by a complex biogeographic history. These ecosystems, and the species that inhabit them, face mounting pressures from land-use change, deforestation and ancillary disturbance processes, infrastructure expansion, hunting and consumption, as well as climate change and invasive species. The pervasiveness and extent of these threats differ between nations. In this Review, we summarize current understanding of the drivers of species declines. Learning from past lessons, we identify evidence gaps that should be filled to underpin future policy and practice decision-making, and provide actionable insights for overcoming the biodiversity crisis while accounting for the socio-economic realities of Southeast Asia’s rapidly developing countries. A range of conservation interventions are required to protect biodiversity within human-modified landscapes and intact forest areas. Emerging technologies now offer unprecedented tools for monitoring species populations and evaluating conservation effectiveness. Simultaneously, international sustainability commitments are more aligned than ever, with ambitious targets in place for climate mitigation, ecosystem restoration and biodiversity protection. Effective conservation in Southeast Asia requires the adoption of innovative approaches to landscape conservation, proactive community-led forest management, strategies to reduce hunting and consumption, nature-based climate solutions and payments for ecosystem services.