Use of technologies for better protection and management of nature and biodiversity

Reaching from publicly accessible environmental data and online monitoring tools to satellite imagery, numerous technological solutions carry the potential to boost environmental protection efforts in European regions. Technologies can help develop a quantitative understanding of the status and changes in ecosystems. In addition, they provide information on the links between ecosystems and the socio-economic systems, hence contribute to the improvement of policies in the field of nature protection and biodiversity. Technologies can also help improve the evidence base necessary for the development of environmental economic accounts, useful at local, regional and national level.

The policy brief explores the link between technology use and protection of natural heritage. It gives an overview of UN and EU strategic framework documents emphasising the benefits of technologies and stimulating their uptake. In addition, the document demonstrates several major challenges of using technology for nature protection and presents good practices from Interreg Europe projects, with the aim to inspire regions to take up existing successful practices.