Identification of appropriate indicators for the targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy in relation to agro-ecosystems

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (EU BDS) is a comprehensive plan aimed at protecting nature and reversing the degradation of ecosystems. To support the implementation of the EU BDS, the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) has developed an online tool, the EU BDS dashboard, to track progress towards the strategy's targets using indicators. This report focuses on the identification and pre-selection of suitable indicators for targets related to agro-ecosystems, whether they are on nature restoration, landscape features, organic farming, agro-ecological practices or nutrients (i.e. targets 4, 7, 8 and 13). The report outlines the methodology used to identify candidate indicators, including screening multiple sources of information and consulting with experts and policy makers. The identified candidate indicators for the EU BDS targets related to agro-ecosystems are described in detail in the report. Out of the 24 indicators presented in this report, 3 are already published in the dashboard, and 3 are in the pipeline to be published following consultation at the policy level in the expert group on Monitoring and Assessment of the EU Biodiversity Platform. Additionally, this report highlights possibilities for the development or selection of various indicators based on data that are either existing or currently being collected, as well as those calculated for other policies and monitoring frameworks. This comprehensive effort in identifying and proposing indicators represents a significant step towards tracking progress and ensuring the effective implementation of the EU BDS in relation to agro-ecosystems.