EU-funded BiodivScen projects highlight critical pathways for biodiversity conservation and restoration in Europe.
Recent scientific data reveal a pivotal moment for European biodiversity, marked by a 60% decline in farmland bird populations over four decades and an alarming nearly 80% decline in European insects. Beyond ecological concerns, this poses a direct threat to the livelihoods of millions of Europeans who depend on a thriving environment.
In response to this biodiversity crisis, seven projects from the BiodivScen programme propose collaborative and sustainable solutions. Co-funded by Biodiversa+, the European Commission and the Belmont Forum, these projects offer future biodiversity scenarios that explore the future of European ecosystems. They cover key topics such as pollinators, migratory birds, marine and high-altitude biodiversity.
Going beyond mere projections, these biodiversity scenarios provide estimates of political and societal trajectories that present both desirable and worrying prospects for the future. They emerge as central elements in the development of action plans, providing an essential roadmap for navigating the complex intersection between human activities and the environment. Additionally, the projects address knowledge gaps identified by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and set out to contribute significantly to future IPBES assessments.
With the recent adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the commitment to the ambitious ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030‘, and as Europe prepares for the new EU Nature Restoration Law, scenarios are expected to guide collective efforts to restore nature by 2050. The BiodivScen projects contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in preserving Europe’s biodiversity, providing essential insights for policymakers, conservationists and the public.
Key findings and insights from the projects have been compiled in a short kit. Delve into this wealth of information for a deeper understanding of these projects’ collective efforts to address Europe’s biodiversity crisis!