This document introduces STAR, a biodiversity metric for quantifying the potential reduction in species extinction risk from conservation actions. STAR scores are calculated based on the number of threatened species present in an area and what proportion of each species' habitat exists there. The document discusses how STAR can be used to set targets, prioritize investments, and measure the impacts of policies and projects on threatened species biodiversity. Examples are given showing how STAR scores could guide conservation planning and targeting of actions to most effectively reduce extinction risk.

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Advancing Biodiversity-Positive Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation
21 June 2023
Nicholas Macfarlane, Senior Scientist & Programme Manager, IUCN
Using STAR, the global
Species Threat Abatement
and Restoration metric
Amboli Bush Frog
Pseudophilautus amboli
Critically Endangered

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©
IBAT
2021
Outline
1. Nature-based Solutions
2. Key considerations for measuring
biodiversity
3. What STAR is and why it’s useful
4. How STAR scores are calculated​
5. Applying STAR
Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens
Endangered

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©
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2021
NBS Criteria
1. NbS effectively address societal challenges
2. Design of NbS is informed by scale
3. NbS result in a net gain to biodiversity and
ecosystem integrity
4. NbS are economically viable
5. NbS are based on inclusive, transparent and
empowering governance processes
6. NbS equitably balance trade-offs between
achievement of their primary goal(s) and the
continued provision of multiple benefits
7. NbS are managed adaptively, based on evidence
8. NbS are sustainable and mainstreamed within
an appropriate jurisdictional context

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©
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2021
Measuring Biodiversity​
Mountain Gorilla
Gorilla beringei
IUCN Red List Critically Endangered
Three essential considerations for
measuring biodiversity:​
1. Biodiversity is spatial – data must be as
well
2. Measure the thing you actually care
about
3. Be careful of area-based targets (e.g.
number of hectares restored/under better
management) – quality can be more
important than quantity

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©
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2021
What is STAR?​
Southern Cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
IUCN Red List Least Concern
STAR is a biodiversity metric
based on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species​.
Identifies the potential to reduce species extinction risk
The STAR methodology has been applied to produce two
complementary global data layers:​
1. Threat abatement (START) – actions to address threats​.
2. Restoration (STARR) – actions to restore species habitat​.
STAR is completely scaleable.
It enables quantitative comparison between sites.
The STAR global layers are currently based on threatened and
near-threatened terrestrial mammals, birds and amphibians.

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STAR – a standardized and
scaleable measure of biodiversity impact
There is urgent need for biodiversity metrics​
• To set targets, guide investment, assess gains​ and
contributions from policies
• That are informative and easy to use​
• That can be shared across business, government
and civil society
Species biodiversity metrics and prioritisation tools
have been limited by
• Lacking clear quantification to enable comparison
between sites
• Lacking directionality to guide action and quantify
results

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©
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2021
STAR
public and
private sector
uses

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STAR scores are derived based on
threatened species’ current and
restorable Area of Habitat (AoH).
The number of threatened species
and the proportion of AoH for each
at a site determines the score.
Scores are currently calculated for
threatened species of amphibians,
birds and mammals.
STAR scores are based on
the number of threatened species
and proportion of their ranges within a site - area of interest

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Weighted species values are
combined to produce STAR scores
for one or more areas of interest
The total of STAR values across all
included species represents the
global threat abatement effort
needed for all these species to
become Least Concern.
STAR scores for a given site - area
of interest (AoI) show the potential
contribution to reducing global
species extinction risk.​

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STAR scores can also be further
broken down by threat type

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2021
Applications of STAR
White Rhino
Ceratotherium simum
Near Threatened
STAR can enable public and private sector to
• Set and measure progress on species-focused ‘science-based targets’
for nature
• Quantify contributions towards wider national or international conservation
goals
• Guide and prioritise investments in species conservation
• Undertake a portfolio assessment of biodiversity opportunity and risk
• Identify potential impacts across supply chains
• Identify co-benefits as a result of other actions and policies

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START threat abatement
High scores indicate areas
that currently contain many
threatened species and a
large proportion of individual
species’ ranges.​

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STARR restoration
High scores indicate areas that
previously supported high
numbers of threatened species,
a large proportion of individual
species’ ranges, and/or species
that are severely threatened.​

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©
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2021
On the ground
application of
STAR: planning
• Target setting: to set
science-based targets for
nature, focused on species
extinction risk
• Mitigation planning: to plan
and prioritise mitigation effort
• Offset planning: to
identify suitable areas
for biodiversity offsets

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Example: Using STAR to set and achieve biodiversity targets
Organization looking to contribute towards global and national conservation goals

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1. Screening for opportunities and risks
• Screening a portfolio of sites (AoI) for opportunities to deploy
in conservation actions with greatest impact​
• e.g. Site prioritization for corporate Nature-based Solutions initiatives
• e.g. Finance sector making effective investments in nature
• e.g. screening for biodiversity risk
Area of
Interest
(AoI)
Potential
START
Potential
STARR
Total % of country
score
A 6 6 12 0.48%
B 7 8 15 0.6%
C 14 6 20 0.8%
STAR allows for a quantitative comparison of opportunities and risks

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Step 2: Identifying potential sites to undertake species threat abatement and
restoration actions
Area of
Interest
(AoI)
Estimated
START
Estimated
STARR
Total
A 6 6 12
B 7 8 15
C 14 6 20

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Step 3: At selected site(s), identify specific conservation actions to achieve
target
To meet its STAR target of 10, company identifies:
1. Actions to abate threats posed by farming/ranching and invasive species = predicting a realised START of 8
Threat type Estimated START Realised START*
Farming 8 5
Climate change 1 0
Invasive species 4 3
Other 1 0
Total 14 8
*i.e., the maximum STAR score that can realistically be achieved through species conservation actions
2. Actions to restore degraded habitat = predicting a realised STARR of 2, and a total STAR of 10​

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Siargao island
Protected Landscape and Seascape
World Database on Protected Areas
World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas
Visit www.ibat-alliance.org
to start using STAR today!
Contact
star@ibat-alliance.org
to find out more