As the UN Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 draws to a close and a post 2020 strategy begins to take shape, it is timely to assess the contribution of geospatial information to informing past and future strategic aims. Therefore, our “speaker pitch” session will take a step back and assess the progress made with geospatial data in generating conservation impact, in terms of the Aichi Targets. We will start with a showcase of geospatial tools for targets 5, 11 and 12 while highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Then, with an eye to the future, we will present possible options for a post 2020 target aligned with the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems data on extent and condition of ecosystems. We will conclude with a brief overview of “frontier technologies”, such as Earth Observation (EO) and Artificial Intelligence, for the post-2020 agenda, paying close attention to opportunities but also potential pitfalls.
