A study was published yesterday in Nature Reviews Biodiversity, titled "Building the backbone for Europe’s biodiversity monitoring".

This study highlights the urgent need for robust, consistent data to track biodiversity changes and guide effective conservation efforts. The authors propose the establishment of a modern, integrated Biodiversity Observation Network for Europe, which could potentially serve as a global model for biodiversity monitoring.

A central feature of the roadmap is the identification of 84 Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), which form the backbone of a harmonised monitoring system. These variables cover everything from bird abundance to genetic diversity, providing a comprehensive framework for measuring biodiversity changes across Europe.

To bring this vision to life, the authors recommend the creation of a European Biodiversity Observation Coordination Centre (EBOCC). This centre would play a crucial role as a central hub for national and European data infrastructures, coordinating workflows, harmonizing methods and aligning monitoring with EU policy needs.

The roadmap for the EBOCC is directly aligned with major EU environmental strategies and legislation, including the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Nature Restoration Regulation, and other major EU environmental legislation like the Birds Directive, Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, and Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

This work not only strengthens European biodiversity monitoring but also supports global initiatives like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM GBF).