The current strategy for biodiversity conservation is doomed. Based on a
study of evidence-based summaries known as environmental impact
assessment reports produced over the past 44 years, we suggest that
biodiversity loss has not been halted because of a failure to accurately
identify and assess the ecological effects of the drivers of change
linked to land use planning. This failure is due to the poor
representativeness of biological diversity in the practices of planners
and the inadequate involvement of the ecologist community. Researchers
in ecology could play a key role in improving the environmental
considerations in project designs by focusing on preventive assessments
instead of curative solutions.