In a contemporary world characterized by increasingly dynamic global economic activity, the import of materials and supplies from overseas locations, encompassing everything from foodstuffs to industrial products and building materials, has become vital.
However, global supply chains have led to the destruction of nature, elimination of wildlife habitats and other such problems as economic growth and increased consumption continue to rise around the world. These represent major impacts on planet-wide biodiversity, posing significant, international-scale problems that cannot be ignored.
In an effort to respond to the needs of our times, Professor Keiichiro Kanemoto of the Shinshu University Faculty of Economics and Law (Academic Assembly School of Humanities and Social Sciences) developed a visualization system to show in map format the degree of impact that product and service production and consumption in 187 countries-including Japan, the United States and China-have on roughly 7,000 species that are in danger of extinction.
The results of joint research toward these ends together with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology were initially published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, an online journal and sister publication of the world-renowned scientific journal Nature. Subsequently, the research results were publicized via The New York Times, The Washington Post and other media outlets, creating a major impact worldwide.


Based on the article Shindai Now (Public information magazine of Shinshu University) vol. 103.


Report and Publisher
Journal Name: Nature Ecology & Evolution
Publication Date: January 4th, 2017
Report Title: Identifying the Species Threat Hotspots from Global Supply Chains
Authors: Daniel Moran, Keiichiro Kanemoto


http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-016-0023