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Independent · UK-focused · Primary sources

Biodiversity and climate change in the UK, explained from the evidence

Pixcellence is an independent UK publisher of plain-English guides to biodiversity, ecosystems, wildlife law and climate change, written for students, teachers and informed readers. Every guide cites primary sources, including Defra, JNCC, the Met Office and State of Nature, and is illustrated in the style of Victorian natural-history watercolours.

Start with: What is biodiversity? Browse all guides

Primary sources our guides cite

  • Defra
  • JNCC
  • Natural England
  • ONS
  • Met Office
  • Climate Change Committee
  • State of Nature
Watercolour of a kingfisher perched on a willow branch above a clear chalk stream
Kingfisher above a chalk stream. An illustration in the Victorian natural-history tradition, not a photograph.

The evidence at a glance

The state of UK nature in three numbers

  1. 19%

    Average decline in the abundance of monitored UK species since 1970.

    Source: State of Nature 2023

  2. 1 in 6

    Species assessed in Great Britain that are at risk of extinction.

    Source: State of Nature 2023

  3. ~7%

    Of England’s land currently meets the government’s 30by30 criteria (protected and managed for nature), although about 28% is designated.

    Sources: Defra 30by30 delivery plan (2026); Natural England designations strategy

Why we separate the two. A designated site has legal status, such as a National Park or a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Land that counts towards 30by30 must also be protected from harmful activities and actively managed for nature. Headlines often treat them as the same thing; our guides do not.

Topics

UK nature and climate guides, by topic

Four areas, each a set of connected guides. Start with the first guide in each, or go straight to the question you came with.

For students and teachers

Biodiversity resources for students and teachers

Pixcellence guides are written to support coursework from KS3 to A-level and undergraduate study. Each one defines its key terms, uses UK examples and links to the primary sources a student can cite.

For teachers, every guide is dated and sourced, so you can check it before sharing it with a class.

Watercolour study of an oak leaf, a jay feather, a stag beetle and an acorn arranged on paper

Editorial standards

How Pixcellence guides are researched and written

The method is part of the content. These are the five rules every guide follows.

  1. UK primary sources first

    Figures come from Defra, JNCC, Natural England, the ONS, the Met Office and the State of Nature partnership, and each source is linked inline next to the figure it supports.

  2. Facts kept separate from interpretation

    What the data shows comes first. What it might mean is labelled as interpretation.

  3. Precise language

    “Designated” is not “effectively protected”, and an “average decline” is not an “extinction risk”. We keep the distinctions the data makes.

  4. Dated and refreshed

    Every guide shows when it was last updated, and is revised when new official data is published.

  5. Watercolour, never photorealism

    Our illustrations interpret a species or habitat. They never pretend to document a real moment, so they cannot be mistaken for evidence.

The editor

About the editor, Clwyd Probert

Clwyd Probert is the founder and editor of Pixcellence. He spent more than a decade as a professional photographer; in 2013 his studio photographed Hope 4 Apes at the Savoy, the Ape Alliance gala hosted by Sir David Attenborough and Brian May with Ian Redmond OBE, organised with charities including the Born Free Foundation. He continues to work with wildlife charities. Pixcellence is his effort to make UK biodiversity and climate evidence clear, sourced and accessible.

Read Clwyd Probert’s author page

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Latest Pixcellence guides

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Questions

Frequently asked questions about Pixcellence

What is Pixcellence?

Pixcellence is an independent, UK-focused publisher of plain-English guides to biodiversity, UK ecosystems, wildlife law and climate change. Each guide explains the evidence from primary sources and links to them, so readers can check the figures for themselves.

Who writes Pixcellence guides?

Pixcellence is founded and edited by Clwyd Probert, who spent more than a decade as a professional photographer and continues to work with wildlife charities. Each guide carries an author byline and the date it was last updated.

Where does your data come from?

From UK primary sources wherever they exist: Defra, JNCC, Natural England, the Office for National Statistics, the Met Office, the Climate Change Committee and the State of Nature partnership. Sources are linked inline, next to the figure they support.

Why are your illustrations watercolours instead of photographs?

So that an illustration is never mistaken for evidence. A photorealistic image, including an undisclosed AI image, can look like a record of a real animal or place. Our illustrations follow the Victorian natural-history tradition of artists such as Archibald Thorburn: they interpret a species or habitat, while the text and its sources carry the evidence.

Are the guides suitable for GCSE and A-level coursework?

Yes. Guides are written to support coursework from KS3 to A-level and undergraduate study. They define key terms, give UK examples and link to the primary sources a student can cite directly. Check your school or exam board’s guidance on referencing web sources.

How often are the guides updated?

Every guide shows the date it was last updated. Guides are revised when the data behind them changes, for example a new State of Nature report, a Defra statistics release or a Met Office climate summary.

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