International Day of Biodiversity: Closing knowledge gaps with AI

Building on the success of Project AMBER, which pioneered AI-assisted biodiversity monitoring by the Alan Turing Institute and UKCEH, INSPIRE will take this innovation further. Combining cutting-edge sensor technology with citizen science, INSPIRE will close critical knowledge gaps on insect populations and engage communities worldwide.  

Why INSPIRE Matters 

Evidence shows wildlife is in decline across the globe, raising concerns about the perilous state of biodiversity and its impact on ecosystems and livelihoods. Insects play vital roles: pollinating crops, recycling nutrients, and serving as food for birds and mammals. Yet data on their populations is critically lacking. INSPIRE addresses this urgent need by creating scalable solutions for monitoring insects and engaging communities in conservation.  

The functioning of the global economy depends on resilient natural systems, yet biodiversity and ecosystem health have continued to decline. This loss raises potential material financial risks for businesses, from supply-chain vulnerabilities to regulatory constraints and additional compliance costs. As Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) adopters, at Aberdeen Group we understand the challenges companies face in reporting nature-related risks and metrics. By supporting projects like INSPIRE, and previously AMBER, through the Aberdeen Group Charitable Trust, we hope to improve the accuracy and availability of biodiversity data.  More on our approach to nature is available in our recent sustainability report. 

Early insights from INSPIRE 

Six months into the partnership, INSPIRE is contributing to the global conversation about how insect populations are monitored globally. Early insights from UKCEH highlight not only the scale of the challenge, but also the opportunity to build frameworks that resonate with both policymakers and the public. As Professor David Roy, Principal Scientist at UKCEH, explains: 

The conservation community sorely lacks a global indicator of change in insect populations. Given widespread insect declines, addressing this gap is key for conservation and policy targets. We suggest that butterfly monitoring programs can serve as the foundation for an effective global network of insect monitoring. Since butterflies are the most commonly monitored insects and have strong emotional value for the public, a global infrastructure based on butterfly monitoring can support a flagship monitoring programme for insect conservation, informing policymaking and spurring societal transitions towards sustainable futures. 

More about the research taking place as part of Project INSPIRE can be found here: The Society for Conservation Biology.

Harnessing Technology and People Power 

As the project continues to evolve, INSPIRE will deploy two complementary approaches: 

Looking ahead 

Project INSPIRE represents an important step in advancing knowledge about biodiversity while engaging communities in nature. By combining innovative technology with inclusive approaches, it generates vital data and makes biodiversity monitoring more accessible, fostering connections with science, supporting real-world learning and well-being, and encouraging pro-environmental behaviours.