Ensuring continuous effectiveness of protected areas in conserving habitats and species while facing intensifying drivers of biodiversity loss

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:

• the effectiveness of the protection of habitats and species in protected areas is maintained even under intensifying impacts of the drivers of biodiversity loss, including climate change, thanks to an improved understanding of how they affect the conservation status of the protected habitats and species, for the benefit of society;
• managers of protected areas are able to anticipate the future impacts of drivers of biodiversity loss and can take better informed decisions for the protection of terrestrial, freshwater and/or marine habitats and species.

Scope:

Protected areas are key to ensure the conservation of species and habitats. However, the intensification of the main drivers of biodiversity loss is raising questions on how their effectiveness will be maintained in the future.

This topic is expected to support the EU commitment to legally protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s land area and a minimum of 30% of the EU’s sea area of the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 (target 1) and the related legislation, and the corresponding target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (target 3). Knowledge generated under this topic is also expected to inform deliberations on EU biodiversity policy after 2030 and the design and implementation of climate policies. Proposals should seek to address some knowledge gaps identified by the relevant IPBES assessments and if appropriate provide recommendations to policy makers.

Proposals should:

• analyse trends over time of the effects of drivers of biodiversity loss and their possible cumulative impacts. Direct drivers (changing use of sea and land, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species) and indirect drivers should be considered, including socio-economic related ones;
• develop predictive tools to anticipate how the intensity of impacts will develop in the medium and long terms, taking into account relevant possible cumulative impacts;
• assess expected future impacts on the conservation status of protected habitats and species in protected areas;
• assess whether novel adaptive approaches for protection are needed and if so, explore options, possibly building on results of relevant LIFE projects and on the experience of climate refugia (areas where ecosystems sustain stability and resilience despite climate change) and of bright spots (where targeted conservation actions, climate adaptation strategies, or natural resilience mechanisms mitigate biodiversity loss). Assess the opportunity to rely on (new) practices such as assisted migration;
• define best practices and test innovative management approaches of protected areas, with performance indicators. To assess the effectiveness of management approaches, projects should build on methods and indicators developed under LIFE PAME Europe^[1]. Proposals should address various types of protected areas and assess how the results might be transposable;
• consider the need for long-term ecological monitoring of protected habitats and species, provide recommendations and consider possible options for such long-term monitoring;
• involve public authorities and/or entities which manage protected areas, and civil society organisations to ensure that the processes and outcomes of the R&I align with the needs, including for policy implementation, and values and expectations of society.

Proposals should address research field A: terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems or research field B: marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Both research fields may include freshwater ecosystems. The research field (A or B) should be clearly indicated on the application.

This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

Proposals should foresee appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service, and ensure cooperation with the European partnership Biodiversa+.

Proposals are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the data, expertise and services offered by European research infrastructures^[2] in the environment domain.

International cooperation is encouraged especially when protected areas expand over different countries and for exchange of experiences.

[1] LIFE PAME EUROPE - EUROPARC Federation

[2] The catalogue of European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) research infrastructures portfolio can be browsed from ESFRI website https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/