Conference Agenda

ID: 243 / 4.04.3: 2

Operationalizing Biodiversity Monitoring

Jan-Erik Petersen¹, Usue Donezar¹, Jose Miguel Rubio¹, Andrus Meiner¹, Pavel Milenov¹, Sander Mucher²

1 European Environment Agency (EEA); 2 Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR)

The ambitions of the EU Green New Deal (e.g. ‘nature as a solution’, ‘building a bioeconomy’) as well as recent legislation (e.g. the Nature Restoration Regulation, the ecosystem accounting module under Regulation 691/2011) require much better data on biodiversity and ecosystems than currently available (in terms of spatial and thematic accuracy).

The ambitions of the EU Green New Deal (e.g. ‘nature as a solution’, ‘building a bioeconomy’) as well as recent legislation (e.g. the Nature Restoration Regulation, the ecosystem accounting module under Regulation 691/2011) require much better data on biodiversity and ecosystems than currently available (in terms of spatial and thematic accuracy).

The EU Copernicus program provides important data sets for monitoring the environment. Work on behalf of the European Environment Agency, the European Space Agency, in various (EU) research projects etc. has explored options for using satellite data in support of ecosystem and nature monitoring. However, converting research outcomes into operational Copernicus products for ecosystem monitoring is challenging and resource intensive.

This workshop reviews the key success factors for a successful operational implementation of ecosystem monitoring with satellite data. It has a particular focus on the components that need to be paired with modern satellite technology: habitat-level in situ data as well as stable operational infrastructure and expert capacity for developing and maintaining regular monitoring products.

The workshop will review current experience with developing ecosystem extent data sets in the European Union, present an overview of available and needed in situ data and engage participants in a discussion on how to overcome current bottlenecks and constraints in developing successful ecosystem monitoring products in an EU context.

Expected outcomes: The workshop outcomes include a better understanding of possibilities and limitations for using satellite data sets for ecosystem monitoring and a set of proposals for developing ecosystem monitoring products in an EU context.

Objectives of the workshop:

• Raise attention for existing EU investment gap in making satellite approaches effective

• Highlight the critical data gap on biodiversity in situ data

• Discuss EU policy priorities for biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring

• Review need for increasing institutional capacity for regular application ready data sets