The EU overseas entities support unique ecosystems which are home to an estimated one-third of the globally threatened species, including many endemic species. Because of the importance of biodiversity and ecosystems services in EU ORs/OCTs both locally and to the EU and member states (MS), it is essential to develop effective approaches to biodiversity governance. Yet often short-term economic interests are given priority over the preservation of ecosystem services. Ecosystem valuations offer a policy tool to convert the concrete and abstract value that ecosystems and biodiversity contribute to EU OR/OCT economies into numbers.

Within this report, a total of 39 valuation studies containing 110 individual value estimates have been identified and evaluated, in order to provide an overview of the magnitude of the estimated economic value derived from (sub)tropical biodiversity in ORs ant OCTs. It was found that the value of individual ecosystem services differs widely among the covered regions and ecosystems.

NetBiome-CSA is a European funded project that aims to extend and strengthen research partnerships and cooperation for the smart and sustainable management of tropical and subtropical biodiversity in Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). The NetBiome Network, with the participation of Ecologic Institute, has developed a Strategic Document that compiles a series of policy and research priorities for improving knowledge about biodiversity and the practice of biodiversity governance in the EU ORs and OCTs. The priorities emerged from participatory processes within NetBiome-CSA. The document is available for download.

The NetBiome-CSA project aims at extending and strengthening research partnerships and cooperation for smart and sustainable management of tropical and subtropical biodiversity in the EU’s outermost regions (ORs) and overseas countries and territories (OCTs). Ecologic Institute contributes to the project by providing evidence on the economic value of biodiversity and ecosystem services in ORs and OCTs, by organising training sessions for stakeholders, and by developing targeted policy recommendations for local, regional and EU policy-makers.