Towards a Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) European Biodiversity Data EIONET/NRC Meeting 29/30 October 2007 Ivone Pereira Martins/Rania Spyropoulou

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 2 Strategic Objectives of SEIS Bridging the content gap to ensure information supply meets demand Streamlining existing information flows as efficiently as possible Broadening access to already collect data and assessments

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 3 SEIS – next steps The political scope of SEIS will be outlined in in a Communication from the Commission – end of 2007 European Data centres and other activities, EEA in-house as well as coordinated by the Go4 (and international organisations) SEIS will provide a better information base to the SoER 2010 (A-Integrated assessment/B-CSI/C-Country analysis)

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 4 SEIS & countries SEIS has a bigger dimension than the EEA/EIONET remit But a key role for countries is to help streamline the several contributions to SEIS in an effective way Country visits EEA proposed projects that will contribute to SEIS Implementation

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 5 SEIS Land-Water-Biodiversity Land-water-biodiversity integrated assessment (1 out of 15 projects) Input for the SoER2010 report (data integration, analytical methods, DPSIR in practice, country benchmarking) Develop a common understanding with volunteer MS – 2008 Agree an implementation Plan involving all EIONET countries

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 6 European Biodiversity Data 3 building blocks at the moment Sites (protected areas, Natura 2000 sites, areas identified as important for biodiversity conservation) Species (protected species, red listed species, common species and commercial species used in biodiversity indicators) Habitat types (protected habitat types) These 3 data blocks comprise - THE EUROPEAN NATURE INFORMATION SYSTEM – EUNIS (managed by EEA/ETC-BD) On line database available at

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 7 European Biodiversity Data sets and legal requirements EEA priority data flow : National legislation for protected species, sites, habitat types European Union legislation : protected species & habitat types, Natura 2000 sites International conventions : protected and regulated species & habitats Data flows are provided by countries BUT ALSO…

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 8 A unique feature: the need for data sets produced and owned by NGOs Data on bird species that are used in indicator calculations/ sites that have been evaluated as Important Bird Areas are already included in EUNIS (agreement with Birdlife Int) Butterfly data across Europe, and PlantLife data are to be incorporated The SEIS through its Biodiversity Component needs to develop agreements with both governmental and non governmental data holders

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 9 EEA priority data flow Nationally designated areas CDDA National : EEA Data access and dissemination National deliveries Q/A, Q/C Clean data sets vs Working data sets C. of Europe European Diploma sites Biogenetic reserves Emerald sites UNEP /WCMC European sites of International brand (Ramsar, World Herit) European Common Database on designated areas (EUNIS- sites) EEA EU-N2K Data inputs SITES Data management and integration EEA- CoE- UNEP/WCMC Agreements on cooperation Tabular data and boundaries

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 10 General information, map/ grid distribution, threats, references Data access and dissemination Publication Agreement With Birdlife Q/A, Q/C Clean data sets vs Working data sets assessment conservation status of the species in EU habitats directive EUNIS database species Data inputs SPECIES Data management and integration All species protected by EU + international legislation+ red lists Birdlife species data used for indicators

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 11 Definition, General information, map/ grid distribution, threats, references Data access and dissemination Publications Q/A,Q/C Clean data sets vs Working data sets assessment of conservation status of the habitat Types in EU habitats directive EUNIS database habitats For habitats protected under EU + international legislation Data inputs HABITAT TYPES Data management and integration

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 12 More data sets will support the assessment of the SEBI 2010 Indicators The Pan- European process of Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators for the 2010 target has produced a first set of 26 indicators. Many different data sets are included/required in this indicator set The design of the indicator set follows the 4 thematic areas proposed by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, adding indicators for Patents/ Financing/ Public Awareness and Climate change impacts

EIONET - NRC October 2007 Biodiversity – from datasets to assessments 13 Some of the data sets are already in place like Forest data Land cover data Water quality data Fisheries data AND others may follow like the ones we will discuss in the working groups tomorrow Relevant assessments to be presented tomorrow