Biodiversity

Our Work

IEEP is at the forefront of developing ways to integrate environmentally-sound socio-economic signals into decision making, to recognise the true value of environmental resources and ecosystems, and thereby encourage resource efficiency. We are developing tools to assess, quantify and take up the multiple values of nature, biodiversity and ecosystem services. IEEP experts are making substantial contributions to the international TEEB initiative (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity), particularly through leading and contributing to the TEEB for policy makers, and TEEB Water reports, and advancing national and regional initiatives, for example in the Nordic countries, Finland, and the Danube Basin.

IEEP is promoting ways of assessing the complete benefits provided by protected areas, including estimates of the costs and benefits of Natura 2000. We have carried out major assessments of the costs of biodiversity actions in the EU (including the costs of restoring 15% of degraded ecosystems in accordance with Target 2 of the Biodiversity Strategy, and the costs of maintaining High Nature Value farmland, and the far greater costs of failing to protect biodiversity. We also look at the opportunities of using biodiversity conservation to advance social inclusion and create jobs.

More about our work in this area...

Latest in Assessing the costs and benefits of biodiversity conservation

  • Access to Nature Reduces Health Inequalities: An IEEP Briefing

    Improving access to nature can help address health and social challenges across Europe and reduce health inequalities.

  • Wildlife crime and the EU

    Wildlife crime threatens global biodiversity. The EU is both a destination and a transit region for illegally-traded products. A new study for the European Parliament summarises the situation in Europe and offers policy recommendations in view of the upcoming EU Action Plan. A set of in-depth case studies outline the situation in five EU countries.

  • Sectoral resource mobilisation to implement global biodiversity targets

    There is an urgent need to find sufficient resources to enable developing countries to implement the global targets for biodiversity by 2020. Financing the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity from different sectoral funding flows can complement global biodiversity financing.

  • Ecosystem services of boreal mires and peatlands in Finland

    Mire ecosystems are well-known for their unique species and habitats of high conservation value and they also provide a range of benefits to our societies and economies. This publication outlines the results of a pioneering project that aimed to identify and valuate ecosystem services provided by pristine mires and managed peatlands in Finland.

  • Incorporating biodiversity and ecosystem service values into national strategies and action plans

    This guidance document has been prepared to support practitioners of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans to update their plans to incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem service values. Six in depth country case studies provide common lessons of good practice.

  • Webinar: Incorporating biodiversity into national strategies and action plans

    IEEP has just produced a roadmap and guidance document to help practitioners to incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem values into their NBSAPs. See case study examples and tune into the webinars on June 5 and 7.

  • Socio-economic importance of ecosystem services in the Nordic countries

    New TEEB-inspired regional assessment (published on 31 January) shows that nature and its ecosystem services are of high socio-economic significance for the Nordic countries. In order to be truly sustainable, Nordic economic systems need to build on a more comprehensive appreciation and understanding of the value of natural capital.

  • What do we mean by Green Economy?

    What is the Green Economy? What policy actions can contribute to achieving it? And how have EU-funded research projects supported these actions?

  • Green Economy in the European Union

    Elements of the green economy concept are relatively well integrated in EU strategic documents - but the focus is on achieving green/sustainable growth, rather than achieving a ‘green economy’.

  • The benefits associated with Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England and Wales

    A report on the benefits provided to society by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in England and Wales was just published. The study, led by GHK with support from others including IEEP, examines the range of ecosystem services provided by the network of SSSIs and estimates the monetary value of protecting them.

Highlights