How can we scale up biodiversity conservation to meet the “30×30” target without relying only on formal protected areas? Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are increasingly highlighted as part of the solution: areas outside protected areas that can still deliver effective and enduring in situ biodiversity conservation under the CBD definition. Our new open-access review in Ambio synthesises the global evidence base on potential OECMs (i.e., areas propos

Ongoing climate change and human demands put increasing amounts of pressure on land and water. This is especially true for freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, wetlands and ponds, which are rapidly disappearing across Europe. Holistic approaches are needed that combine different viewpoints and more integrated perspectives. In the INSPIRE project we explore this challenge through the lens of the Neusiedl Lake region, a unique endorheic lake system located within Austria and H

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)  needs to answer a fundamental question: where should protection and restoration happen so that biodiversity goals are met while coastal communities remain economically viable? A recent case study conducted under the INSPIRE  integrated planning framework highlights how a spatially explicit cost–benefit approach can support this decision-making in Greece-Aegean Sea Case Study.  The framework links ecological value, ecosystem service benefits, and