Conference Agenda

ID: 535 / 2.04.4: 2

From Copernicus services to biodiversity monitoring

Michel, F. Massart¹, Andreas Brink¹, Usue Donezar², Jose Miguel Rubio Iglesias², Pierre-Yves Le Traon³, Laurence Rouil⁴, Carlo Buontempo⁴

1 European Commission, Belgium; 2 European Environment Agency; 3 Mercator Ocean International; 4 ECMWF

The EU's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is an ambitious initiative aimed at restoring ecosystems and reversing biodiversity loss, in line with the European Green Deal. It seeks to build resilience against threats like climate change, wildfires, and food insecurity. Achieving these objectives requires robust biodiversity and ecosystem data, supported by recent legislation such as the Nature Restoration Regulation and the Marine Ecosystem Protection Action Plan. Globally, the strategy aligns with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, both emphasizing the importance of accessible data to drive biodiversity action.

The Copernicus Earth Observation program, launched in 2014, provides essential data for environmental monitoring across Europe and globally. Its six services deliver critical datasets for monitoring land and marine environments, supporting biodiversity conservation efforts.

This workshop will explore Copernicus’s contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring in response to conservation needs. It will present various Copernicus services and products designed to monitor biodiversity and ecosystem health, including climate change impacts, recognized as a primary driver of biodiversity loss.

The workshop will engage EU Member States and global organizations like GEOBON to discuss user needs, identify knowledge gaps, and explore new Earth Observation (EO) opportunities. Participants will address the limitations of satellite data for ecosystem monitoring and propose areas for further research.

Workshop outcomes are expected to enhance user engagement with Copernicus products, expand the service portfolio, and develop biodiversity-focused tools to better meet ecosystem monitoring needs. This aligns Copernicus with EU and global biodiversity goals, providing a robust foundation for ongoing conservation efforts.