The EuropaBON Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) list has been refined and EBV workflow templates have been updated. The EBVs workflow templates offer valuable perspectives on the existing biodiversity monitoring landscape across Europe and how EBV production could be operationalized at the EU level. This is a starting point and baseline for the further development of EBVs in a European context.

The work has been developed in scope of the Horizon 2020 EuropaBON project, which aims to provide a standardized approach to biodiversity monitoring and reporting. By 2023, EuropaBON has identified 70 EBVs relevant to EU policies that could be measured using existing technologies and proven feasible in ongoing initiatives.

EBVs require workflows to process the raw data. To capture information about the EBV workflows, an online workshop focusing on the 70 identified EBVs was held on 22–24 February 2023 organised by the EuropaBON project. After a public review process the EBV list was fine-tuned, and an updated version is now available at https://zenodo.org/records/10971094.

Joana Soares and Adriano Lima from the AIR Centre were among the experts who participated in this activity related to the role of the AIR Centre hosting the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) Executive Secretariat, a partnership that was recently renewed.

The definition of essential variables is a way to understand the ecosystem that surrounds us. This understanding is crucial to address societal and economics needs. EBVs aim to advance the collection, sharing and use if biodiversity information. They allow us to aggregate biodiversity observations collected through different methods.