Also on May 22, International Biodiversity Day, the European Commission hosted a high-level conference to highlight the policy relevance of mapping and assessing ecosystems and their services in Europe. Over 300 people attended the meeting. Keynote speakers included Janez Potočnik, EU Commissioner for the Environment; Pavan Sukhdev, TEEB study leader; and Ivo Havinga, UN Statistics Division.

The conference presented the work undertaken to date at both EU and national level, as well as contributions from stakeholders. It addressed the importance of having reliable data and high-quality information on the state of ecosystems and the services they provide to contribute to advancing the biodiversity objectives, and to integrating natural capital concerns into EU sectoral policies. A range of practical examples were given on how to value natural capital. The need for taking a more holistic approach to valuation was also highlighted.

All sessions of the conference can be watched: here