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The authors state that this mapping could help to locatemarine protected areas (MPAs) in locations with a morebenign physical environment. In addition to acidificationand ocean warming, a third major stressor is decreasedoxygen concentrations in the ocean, leading to so-called“dead zones”. A brief examining this issue contends thatoxygen levels can recover, even in severely depleted areas,but doing so will require dramatic increases in fertilizer-useefficiency. 6007.3.14. Terrestrial biodiversityIn the context of biodiversity, a brief urging the adoption ofa strong sustainability position rejects the argument thatnatural capital can be readily substituted by manufacturedcapital. 601 In the process, the brief analyses the case fordesignating certain elements of natural capital as “critical”,due to their unique contribution to human well-being. Indefining what is critical “objective” ecological criteria, e.g.maximum sustainable yield, are not conclusive; societalvalues and perceptions, ethics and attitude to risk also playimportant roles in the determination of what aspects ofnatural capital can be considered critical. Thus, the authorscontend, it is necessary to move beyond solely technicaland expert-based calculations of critical thresholds ofnatural capital to include public deliberation andstakeholder participation. Examining wetlands in drylands,a brief raises the question whether the findings of scientificstudies focussed on the more-or-less permanentlysaturatedtropical, temperate and arctic wetlands can bereadily transferred to drylands. 602 Gaps in understanding –for instance whether wetlands in drylands are stores ofcarbon through incorporation of atmospheric CO 2 – hamperthe resolution of potential conflicts and maximization ofecosystem service provision for the widest possible benefit.A number of briefs address species survival, e.g. thepotential of joint research and policy to save a SouthAmerican tree species from an exotic tree disease. 603 Whatmay at first appear to be a local or regional problem is infact directly connected to global scale processes: emergingplant diseases are on the rise, and they often appear to belinked to the commercial trade of plants and plantproducts. New technologies frequently give rise todiscussion about benefits, risks and appropriate regulation– a process played out in particularly contentious terms inthe case of biotechnology. While favouring greateradoption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a briefon the topic reminds us that developing countries,particularly in Africa, lack the requisite capacity to carry outadequate risk assessments and to establish and enforce140regulatory frameworks that serve their interests. 604Addressing another aspect of biotechnology, a brief arguesthat the demand for sustainably intensifying yields, in theface of a changing climate, calls for the acceleration ofplant breeding and the sharing of genomic information. 605The authors propose that genome sequence informationand related data on genetic diversity from publicly fundedrepositories and other stakeholders be made freelyavailable as a public good, through a licence for genomicinformation on germplasm. Assessing the potential ofsynthetic biology – the construction of customizedbiological systems to perform new and improved functions– another brief also calls for open source developmentmodels and platforms that direct research and resources tosustainable development challenges. 606 Many of the briefsaddressing biodiversity-related issues also have stronglinkages with poverty eradication, agriculture, science andinnovation, and institutions and governance.7.3.15. Peace, inclusive societies, justice andinstitutionsAlthough a number of briefs touch on issues related togovernance, institutions, peaceful societies, and the rule oflaw, the coverage is limited, despite this being an activearea of research. It may be that the call for briefs did notreach the communities most implicated in this area ofresearch. In relation to participatory decision-making,research highlighted in one of the briefs suggests thatopportunities for community decision-making throughenhanced participation entail transaction and opportunitycosts that constitute a disincentive for involvement of thepoor. 607 Among the conclusions of the brief is that –because empowerment interventions do not themselvesfacilitate sustainable outcomes – sustainability criteriaought to be built into community interventions. Inexamining the role and potential of global onlineconsultations, another brief concludes that the use of thistool can best be deployed by: (i) systematically combiningnot only direct with representative participation, but alsoweb-based with offline methods to bypass the digitaldivide; and (ii) by building civil society actors’ capacities. 6087.3.16. Means of implementation, global partnershipWhile a number of briefs address issues related to meansof implementation and strengthening the globalpartnership, there is limited coverage of core concerns suchas finance and trade. Technology crops up in a range ofbriefs, for instance in relation to the growth-SCP-energycluster of issues, but there is little if any engagement withquestions around the conditions and mechanisms for