EuropaBON stakeholder network
With 1596 members representing more than 704 initiatives, EuropaBON has amassed a thriving membership network during its lifespan (42 months).
Assessment of EuropaBON User & Policy Needs
While the assessment of user needs and policies for biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring in Europe followed a very comprehensive and phased methodological approach based on a series of workshops, surveys and interviews, as well as an open review process of the draft report; the results of this report have provided the first preliminary list of key biodiversity and ecosystem service variables to be monitored for the new EU-wide monitoring system. We are not stopping here and are working diligently to integrate the new restoration-focused law proposal into our assessment.
List and specifications of EBVs for EuropaBON
Following a comprehensive multi-step methodology including a series of workshops and surveys and involvement of biodiversity researchers and practitioners, we have defined a list of 84 essential biodiversity and ecosystem services variables. This list provides the backbone for EuropaBON and has received much interest from the European Commission as well as the scientific community. We therefore plan a public review process, similar to the one used during the User & Policy Needs Assessment, to ensure a balanced set of essential variables that serve the needs of the users from all relevant sectors.
The Proposal for the Terms of Reference of an EU Biodiversity Observation Coodination Centre (EBOCC)
We have proposed the terms of reference for an EU Biodiversity Observation Coordination Centre (EBOCC), a permanent infrastructure that could coordinate and foster the generation and use of high quality data to underpin the biodiversity knowledge-base used across EU policies, providing guidance and training when necessary. Such a centre represents one of the key solutions to overcome the critical challenges of biodiversity monitoring in Europe. The ToR for an EBOCC has also attracted a great deal of interest and a preparatory action has been already approved by the EU parliament for a pilot.
The Co-design of a European Biodiversity Observation Network
The Co-design provides recommendations for designing a European Biodiversity Observation Network. It synthesizes the current biodiversity monitoring landscape in Europe, describes the framework and methodology for a co-design approach, and identifies what should be monitored (terrestrial, freshwater and marine Essential Biodiversity Variables), how (monitoring methods and workflows for data integration and modelling), and why (policy relevance). It then provides 10 design recommendations, including suggestions for spatial sampling designs, sample sizes, filling of gaps, co-location, DNA-based methods, digital sensors, remote sensing, citizen science, data integration and modelling, and digital infrastructure. Finally, it estimates the economic costs of establishing and maintaining a European Biodiversity Observation Network by performing a comprehensive assessment of the staff and material costs for establishing and maintaining data collection, workflows and coordination for biodiversity monitoring in Europe.
Finally, through our outreach and engagement efforts, we continue to facilitate discussion among key stakeholders to develop and refine the design framework and blueprint for a monitoring system for biodiversity and ecosystem services at the European level. Aiming to keep the sustainability and the legacy of the project in the future, all the project's outputs will be accessible through our permanent catalogue in the RIO Collection, and the project website will be kept for at least 5 years or more after the culmination of the project.
