Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow and Research Associate
Prof. Des Thompson
A Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow, Des’s interests include the conservation ecology of north European shorebirds, upland ecosystems, and science-policy biodiversity decision making. He advises the UN on climate and biodiversity issues as CMS (Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species) COP-Appointed Scientific Councillor for Climate Change, and a member of its Technical Advisory Group supporting the conservation of migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia (founder chair for ten years).
He is a member of the Scottish Government’s Biodiversity Programme Advisory Group (advising on the forthcoming Natural Environment Bill), and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the RBGE (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh).
With more than 30 years’ experience working in government agencies, until 2023 Des was the Principal Adviser on Biodiversity and Science with NatureScot, Scotland’s Nature Agency. He worked closely with the Scottish Government devising the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045, and its Delivery Plan.
Des is based in Edinburgh but spends a lot of time in the Highlands and Islands, with his family home in Culrain. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (FCIEEM).
Research Output
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Present:
2024-present: Leverhulme Emeritus Professorial Fellow
2024-present: COP-Appointed Councillor on Climate Change, UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)
2019-present: Vice President, Field Studies Council (former Chair of Board of Trustees)
Speciality Chief Editor of Frontiers in Bird Science: Bird Conservation and Management
Past
2017-2023: Principal Adviser on Biodiversity and Science, NatureScot
2007-2017: Policy and Advice Manager, SNH, and Chairman of Joint Nature Conservation Committee UK Uplands Lead Co-ordination Network (ULCN)
1992-2007: Head of Uplands and Peatlands, Principal Adviser (Uplands) SNH
1985-1992: Senior Mountains and Moorland Ecologist, Chief Scientist Directorate, Nature Conservancy Council
1984-1985: University Research Fellow, Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool
1983-1984: Demonstrator, Department of Psychology, University of Nottingham
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CMS Climate Change Working Group. Chair of the Group, developing the outputs from the Expert Workshop held in February 2025 and the UN reports Climate Change and Migratory Species: A Review of Impacts, Conservation Actions, Indicators and Ecosystem Services (2023) and State of the World’s Migratory Species (2024). Work focusing on:
Identification of migratory species likely to be negatively impacted by climate change, especially those that are in need of human-mediated interventions, such as translocations
Discussions around species that have a high probability of changing their migration routes because of climate change, and the connectivity options available to them
Case studies of the role of migratory species in maintaining and enhancing climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as other related ecosystem services
Solutions to the issues, and actions that could help migratory species shift ranges (e.g. Nature-based solutions and Ecosystem-based adaptations), as well as synergies (alignment with Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework), gaps and priorities for action.
UK Curlew Action Plan: Under the auspices of the European Commission Curlew LIFE Project, working with a team to develop the first UK Action Plan for Curlew. The species is rapidly declining across Europe and the UK, and is considered to be the UK’s top avian conservation priority. Working with government, agencies, NGOs and the research community, the work is identifying key work needed to at least halt the decline.
Other Projects: Horizon Scanning for conservation of African and Eurasian raptors under the auspices of the CMS Raptor MoU; Long-term study of Greenshank in NW Sutherland; Early work on a field guide for surveying and monitoring north European shorebirds; Developing work on forestry and woodland management following RSE publication of Inquiry into public financial support for tree planting and forestry (2024).
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No students currently.
