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Methods and factsheets
The KCBD Global Biodiversity Data Services (GBDS) is a set of web services and applications that can be used to assess, monitor and report on the state of biodiversity and associated pressures.
Building on the former Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA), the GBDS use global reference datasets to generate and provide a broad range of pre-calculated, consistent and comparable biodiversity metrics and indicators at multiple reporting levels and thematic areas. The overall data processing and computation method for generating metrics and indicators in each Global Biodiversity Data (GBD) version is described in:
Juffe-Bignoli D., A. Mandrici, G. Delli, A. Niamir and G. Dubois (2024). Delivering Systematic and Repeatable Area-Based Conservation Assessments: From Global to Local Scale. Land, 13(9):1506. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC138887
Below is the collection of factsheets for the indicators included in the latest and previous GBD versions.
Version 5.0
The data proposed in this version are made available via our web services (registration is required, data distribution depending on the license agreements of the data providers).
Factsheet B1 EN Terrestrial Coverage by Protected Areas
Factsheet B2 EN Marine Coverage by Protected Areas
Factsheet B3 EN Key Biodiversity Areas
Factsheet D1 EN Species lists and statistics
Factsheet G2 EN Inland Surface Water
Factsheet I1 EN Land Productivity
Factsheet I2 EN Land Fragmentation
Factsheet J2 EN Above-Ground Carbon
Version 4.3
The data proposed in this version are made available via our web services (registration is required, data distribution depending on the license agreements of the data providers). Most of the proposed quantitative results are also available in a downloadable tabular file.
Factsheet B1 EN Terrestrial Coverage by Protected Areas
Factsheet B2 EN Marine Coverage by Protected Areas
Factsheet B3 EN Key Biodiversity Areas
Factsheet B4 EN Representativity by Protected Areas
Factsheet D1 EN Species lists and statistics
Factsheet E1 EN Terrestrial Habitat Diversity
Factsheet E2 EN Marine Habitat Diversity
Factsheet F1 EN Climate and Elevation
Factsheet G2 EN Inland Surface Water
Factsheet H1 EN Agricultural Pressure
Factsheet H3 EN Population Pressure
Factsheet H4 EN Built up pressure
Factsheet I1 EN Land Productivity
Factsheet I2 EN Land Fragmentation
Factsheet J2 EN Above-Ground Carbon
Factsheet J3 EN Below Ground Carbon
Version 4.2
The data proposed in this version are made available via our web services (registration is required, data distribution depending on the license agreements of the data providers).
Factsheet B1 EN Terrestrial Coverage by Protected Areas
Factsheet B2 EN Marine Coverage by Protected Areas
Factsheet B3 EN Key Biodiversity Areas
Factsheet B4 EN Representativity by Protected Areas
Factsheet D1 EN Species lists and statistics
Factsheet E1 EN Terrestrial Habitat Diversity
Factsheet E2 EN Marine Habitat Diversity
Factsheet F1 EN Climate and Elevation
Factsheet G2 EN Inland Surface Water
Factsheet H1 EN Agricultural Pressure
Factsheet H3 EN Population Pressure
Factsheet H4 EN Built up pressure
Factsheet I1 EN Land Productivity
Factsheet I2 EN Land Fragmentation
Factsheet J2 EN Above-Ground Carbon
Technical documentation
Metrics and indicators produced for each GBD version are distributed through the GBD web services, which support a range of web applications, including the Global Biodiversity Data Viewer (GBDV), Query Builder and Swagger UI.
The GBDS data distribution architecture, together with the Query Builder and Swagger UI tools, is documented in the technical report JRC Global Biodiversity Data Services (GBDS): Data Distribution Architecture, REST API and Query Builder.
The GBDV is documented in the technical report The Global Biodiversity Data Viewer 1.0
User guides
User guides are available for the following tools, providing practical, step-by-step instructions for their use:
Acronyms
Acronyms used in KCBD GBDS
- CBD - UN Convention on Biological Diversity
- EC - European Commission
- EU - European Union
- GBF - Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
- GBDV - Global Biodiversity Data Viewer
- GDP - Gross Domestic Product
- IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
- KCBD - EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity
- KBA - Key Biodiversity Areas
- OECM - Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures
- PA - Protected Areas
- USD – US Dollar
- WB - World Bank
- WDPA - World Database on Protected Areas
Disclaimer
The JRC makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. In no event the European Commission will we be liable for any damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
More information and links
| Originally Published | Last Updated | 18 Jul 2025 | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Knowledge service | Metadata | Biodiversity Knowledge Centre | Global Biodiversity Data Viewer (GBDV) |
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