Cost-effective measurement strategy for biodiversity
Biodiversity loss poses a major threat to humanity. Organisations therefore also wish to implement effective measures within their business operations to protect biodiversity. However, there is a lack of usable biodiversity data to demonstrate the effectiveness of these measures.
Within the four-year Biodiversiteit in Beeld (BiB) project, we are developing a cost-effective monitoring strategy, using new techniques to complement existing methods. These include acoustic sensors, cameras, eDNA and remote sensing. We are doing this through a ‘learning by doing’ approach in collaboration with future users of the monitoring strategy.
Reversing biodiversity loss
The European Commission has taken action through European treaties and laws to reverse biodiversity loss. Since 2024, the Nature Restoration Regulation has been one of the most important pieces of legislation in this regard. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has also been introduced on the basis of the European Green Deal.
The CSRD is a directive that requires large organisations to report standardised sustainability information. This includes information on the positive and negative effects of their activities on biodiversity. This information must be reliable, comparable and verifiable, just as in financial reports. In practice, it proves difficult to determine what constitutes effective measures and what the impact of those measures has been.
To meet this need, the Biodiversiteit in Beeld (BiB) project will develop a scientifically sound and cost-effective measurement strategy for assessing the state of biodiversity.
Science and future users: thinking and acting together
The Biodiversiteit in Beeld project is being carried out by a consortium of organisations from the scientific and commercial sectors – the future users. The aim is to achieve broad public support, a smart mix of disciplines and the pooling of extensive knowledge.
We collaborate in three groups: Knowledge Development, Pilot Projects and Advice. A lead partner monitors, stimulates and steers the project objectives. The three-group approach – learning by doing – ensures that we benefit from the exchange of existing knowledge and practical experience.
