College of Science, Engineering and Food Science at UCC.’s Post

New research suggests that 'biodiversity mainstreaming' has until now been largely ineffective due to non-binding commitments, vaguely formulated targets, “add-on” biodiversity initiatives, and too few resources. Conflicting targets between sectors and unclear responsibilities are also holding back success. The research, led by Prof. Hens Runhaar, suggests that a combination of regulatory measures (“sticks”) and incentives (“carrots”) may be more effective than voluntary approaches alone, say the authors. Legal requirements for biodiversity action, along with showcasing the benefits of biodiversity to different sectors, could encourage greater commitment to mainstreaming. The study published in the journal Earth System Governance was co-authored by Fabian Pröbstl, Felician Heim, Elsa Maria Cardona Santos, Joachim Claudet, Lyda D., Guilherme de Queiroz Stein, Agnes Z. & Yves Zinngrebe. Read more 👇

Very good for building resilience of the ecosystem within an area of monoculture crop growing.

Why is biodiversity important to business? According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), $10 Trillion in Business Opportunity Value and Support for 395 Million Jobs by 2030.

Plea for national soil biodiversity assessment and monitoring for evidence‐based agri-environmental governance and decision‐making: - ‘Consideration of soil biodiversity in land‐use decisions and policy is highly limited and understudied, in particular with respect to the impact of dramatically changing climatic conditions.’ - ‘We have very limited knowledge about invasive species in soil and their effects on ecosystems.’ ‘In a time of rapid overall terrestrial biodiversity change, global assessments of biodiversity cannot, due to their nature, identify local needs and (adaptive) solutions.’ https://lnkd.in/diHyHeXZ

The cultivation of oil palm is here to stay. However, a five-year study indicates that creating islands of native trees within oil-palm monocultures increases biodiversity and ecosystem functioning without notably lowering crop yields. Using a robust experimental design and presenting a variety of measures and analyses, the authors report convincing findings from a large-scale, five-year experiment to investigate ecosystem restoration in a 140-hectare oil-palm landscape enriched with 52 tree islands. Read on:🔗 https://bit.ly/3VG7zPW Robert Nasi | #Trees4Resilience

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of taking part in a round table discussion organised by the IUCN European Regional Office for the launch of their report on biodiversity assessments methods available for measuring the impact of agricultural practices. The report highlights the importance of streamlining and standardising monitoring efforts across the EU, with already existing methodologies 👀 🎯 EU biodiversity reporting requirements on farmland are gradually increasing with the adoption of policy commitments under the Green Deal (including binding monitoring requirements under the NRL or upcoming SML). 🧐 A recent Europabon study highlighted that only 11% of biodiversity monitoring schemes are used for reporting under the CAP, which shows the lack of monitoring data interoperability. 👇🏻Meanwhile, we lack direct assessments of the impact of specific farm measures on biodiversity, which calls for more on field monitoring methodologies (which should not overburden farmers) 🔧 There are ongoing efforts to solve interoperability challenges, including with the recent proposal for an EU Biodiversity Observation Coordination Centre (EBOCC). 👀 I highlighted the opportunities (and some of the challenges) associated with innovative approaches for monitoring biodiversity - including high resolution remote sensing technologies 🛰️ Advanced monitoring methods, when combined with traditional in field methods offer great potential for upscaling our knowledge of farmland biodiversity and directly assess land use impacts - on soils, pollinators or local ecosystems. There is a lot to be done to increase monitoring capacities across Member States and at farm level - but there are steps in the right direction. Thanks for having me ! More information on advanced biodiversity monitoring methods on our recent brief https://lnkd.in/eXDRSs2Y Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) IUCN report on assessing the Biodiversity-Agriculture nexus https://lnkd.in/exV8-yy9 IUCN report on Sustainable agriculture and NbS https://lnkd.in/egBCiJBh - relevant to our work for NetworkNature EU

Grassland Management Study Reveals Key Insights for Biodiversity and Profit Recent research published in 'Communications Earth & Environment' sheds light on the complex relationship between grassland management practices and biodiversity across Germany, revealing significant implications for the agricultural sector. The stud https://lnkd.in/eNa8Vrcz

🚜 How do different agricultural methods affect biodiversity? And how can it be measured? 💡 This is what Axfoundation is testing in collaboration with Svensk Kolinlagring at Torsåker Farm using environmental DNA (eDNA) methods. 🧬 Insects are collected from Malaise traps (tents that capture insects over a set period). The DNA analysis of insects from fields with flowering cover crops is compared with insects from control fields with standard winter wheat. The samples are analyzed to assess species richness and intraspecific variation. 🌟 The goal is to find a method to measure and summarize biodiversity and develop an index that can serve as a measure of biodiversity. Torsåker Farm is one of four pilot farms involved in this part of the Mistra-funded Finance to Revive Biodiversity (FinBio) program. 🤝 Svensk Kolinlagring SÄTTRA GÅRD AB Mistra FinBio #acttoinspire #inspiretoact #torsåkergård #svenskkolinlagring

New paper out in the Earth System Governance journal on biodiversity action in policy sectors outside the environmental domain. Although there are high expectations of 'biodiversity mainstreaming' or 'biodiversity policy integration', our review of academic research shows this governance strategy thus far is not very effective. This is worrisome in view of worldwide commitments to this strategy in the CBD’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, ratified in 2022. Our paper is part of a special issue on "The Governance of Biodiversity Recovery: From Global Targets to Sectoral Action". https://lnkd.in/ecH5ry7g

🌳 Get to know one of our Nature Framework pilot projects! Today, we’re excited to highlight the work of Instituto Arapyaú, the proponent of the pilot project titled “Enhancing Biodiversity through Cocoa Agroforestry Systems.” Deborah Faria, a professor at Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, the project's research partner, provided technical expertise and oversaw the project’s biodiversity and ecosystem services monitoring. 🌎 Verra’s Nature Framework launches tomorrow at the UN Biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia! This asset methodology in the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program will drive finance to activities that can support critical biodiversity outcomes, helping to achieve the goals and targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework by closing the finance gap. In an interview, Deborah shared more information about the pilot project, the biodiversity it protects, and the importance of Nature Credits in supporting this work. Q: Where is the geographic focus of your work?  A: My work focuses on biodiversity assessment in landscapes located within the Atlantic Forest biome, particularly in the southern region of Bahia, where native forests and cocoa agroforests (cabrucas) still cover a significant portion of the area. Q: Why did you decide to support this Nature Framework pilot project?  A: The unprecedented rate of species loss and environmental degradation demands more than just the creation of protected areas. This pilot project, under the Nature Framework, represents a valuable opportunity to not only fund conservation, but also to recognize its true value. Q: Why do cabruca systems need Nature Credit finance?  A: Cabrucas are one of the most biodiversity-friendly and climate-smart systems for crop cultivation. In our region, these agroforests support up to two-thirds of the native fauna, and without them, we anticipate a significant decline in climate suitability for cocoa under different climate change scenarios. Cabruca systems should be valued not only for the food they produce but also for the essential ecosystem services they provide. I believe that Nature Credits can help finance this much-needed recognition and compensation. ➡️ Thank you to all the projects that have helped pilot the Nature Framework, making it more practical, rigorous, and scalable. #COP16Colombia #Biodiversity #Verra #Conservation #StandardsMatter #ClimateAction