Achieving biodiversity targets by 2030

Europe must modernise its roads, rails, energy and water systems while safeguarding nature. With about €9 trillion in investment needed from 2025–2040, future projects must embed biodiversity and be carefully sited, designed and operated to reconnect ecosystems.

Integrating biodiversity early is not only a matter of ecological stewardship; it is an essential strategy for ensuring long-term resilience and sustainability of societies, economies, and individual projects. The benefits reach beyond immediate environmental concerns, touching on public health, resource security, and our overall quality of life.

From threat to opportunity: Rethinking the built environment

Infrastructure is the foundation of a productive, inclusive society supporting daily life and economic growth. Modern infrastructure–from roads, energy and water systems to industrial and urban areas–is increasingly being designed not only for function and efficiency, but also in harmony with nature. This shift reflects a growing awareness that a well-planned built environment can both meet human needs and strengthen biodiversity.

Roads, railways, energy and water infrastructure fragment landscapes and create barriers that hinder the movement of species. At the same time, large-scale development leads to the loss or degradation of key habitats such as wetlands, forests and grasslands, pushing many species into decline. Beyond this, infrastructure, including also industrial and urban environments, contributes to various forms of pollution and disturbance.

Careful site selection and thoughtful placement of development within a site can help avoid harming habitats that support high biodiversity. By designing with ecological connectivity in mind, species movement across landscapes can be maintained–helping to preserve genetic diversity, the foundation of healthy, resilient ecosystems. At the same time, integrating green corridors, wetlands, and forest restoration into planning can create valuable habitats and even reverse local declines in wildlife.

By reducing noise, light, and chemical pollution, and by managing stormwater more intelligently, we can further minimise disturbances and protect sensitive species. New technologies and materials, as well as circular economy, also make it possible to reduce impacts throughout the value chain, from construction to operation.

In this way, the built environment becomes part of the solution rather than the problem, supporting ecosystem services that help society adapt to climate change and other environmental challenges. Every new project, whether in transport, energy, industry, or urban development, offers an opportunity to design for both performance and biodiversity, ensuring that development projects and nature go hand in hand.

Key regulatory, financial, social and technology drivers

As Europe seeks to close its infrastructure gap, biodiversity has become a central concern. New EU regulations ensure that investments are no longer measured solely in economic terms, but also in how they affect ecosystems. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Nature Restoration Law and the EU Taxonomy together provide a policy and regulatory framework for ecosystem protection and restoration.

Maintenance and investments in Europe’s infrastructure, from roads and railways to energy, have long fallen behind. The need for reliable and efficient infrastructure has been further accentuated by geopolitical uncertainty and heightened security risks. The total investment in infrastructure needed for Europe from 2025 until 2040 is estimated to be around € 9 trillion, according to The World Bank’s Global Infrastructure Outlook(2).

As Europe seeks to bridge its infrastructure investment gap, biodiversity considerations are becoming increasingly important. The UN Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and targets agreed in Kunming-Montreal in 2022 aim to halt biodiversity loss by 2030. Specific targets under the GBF include, for example, conservation of 30% of land and water areas, as well as restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems(3).

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Nature Restoration Law and the EU Taxonomy together provide an important policy and regulatory framework for ecosystem protection and restoration. New EU regulations ensure that investments are no longer measured solely in economic terms, but also in how they affect ecosystems. However, regulation is only one of several key drivers accelerating change–and there is no time to wait for it to catch up.

Financial and market incentives, including the EU Green Deal, sustainable finance criteria and investor pressure, are pushing companies to demonstrate nature-positive outcomes. Future investments must integrate biodiversity as naturally as climate targets and technical functionality. RESTORE, the first European investment vehicle dedicated to biodiversity restoration and conservation, along with the EU Nature Credits Roadmap, are some of the measures aimed at directing more funding to biodiversity efforts. Corporate sustainability goals and biodiversity reporting standards, such as the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and the reporting framework by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), are making biodiversity a strategic business issue.

Public awareness and stakeholder expectations are also growing, with cities, inhabitants and communities demanding solutions that deliver both ecological and social benefits. Meanwhile, technological innovation and nature-based design practices are enabling solutions that strengthen both resilience and biodiversity. Together, these regulatory, financial, social and technological drivers are shaping a new European built environment, one that moves beyond compliance to actively contribute to ecosystem restoration and long-term value creation.

Biodiversity project examples

In the UK

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a legal requirement in England under the Environment Act 2021. It mandates that developers leave nature in a measurably better state after construction than before.

Sweco UK supported an outline planning application for a circa 50 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the former Rooscoote Power Station in Barrow-in-Furness, England, for CBS Energy Storage Assets UK Limited. To inform BNG calculations, the ecology team conducted a UK Habitat (UKHab) classification survey across
3.35 hectares of land. The UKHab survey mapped habitats and assessed their condition–vital data for completing the Statutory Biodiversity Metric. Biodiversity value is expressed in Biodiversity Units, with more valuable habitats being assigned higher Unit scores.

Using the Metric, the site’s baseline was calculated as 3.17 Biodiversity Units for area-based habitats and 0.04 Units for linear habitats. To achieve the statutory 10% net gain, post-development targets were 3.487 area-based Units and 0.044 linear Units.

Sweco created a colour-coded map showing the relative value of habitats on-site. This was used to guide planning application boundaries and layout, helping avoid high-value habitats, optimise project viability and reduce costs associated with BNG. Our team presented the client with four scenarios ranging from achieving BNG within the site boundary to purchasing Biodiversity Units from a ‘habitat bank’–where third-party sites that legally commit to maintain habitats for 30 years and generate Units for developers to purchase.

After a cost-benefit assessment, the client selected Sweco’s recommended option. This scenario delivered an 11.99% net gain for area-based habitats and an impressive 763.05% net gain for linear habitats, satisfying Metric trading standards by replacing lost habitats with those of equal or higher ecological value. With the BNG scenario agreed, Sweco produced a Biodiversity Gain Plan for inclusion in the client’s outline planning application. The client is awaiting a decision from the local authority.

Establishing 11.99% net gain relied on:

•  The retention of two medium-sized, moderate-condition trees on site.
•  The retention of 0.50 ha of modified grassland in poor condition.
•  The retention of 0.01 ha of bramble scrub.
•  The creation of 0.12 ha of other neutral grassland in moderate condition.
•  The creation of 0.14 ha of mixed scrub in moderate condition.
•  The planting of 35 small individual trees in moderate condition.
•  The creation of 0.05 km of native hedgerow with trees in a moderate condition.

“BNG was introduced to help halt biodiversity loss and embed nature within the planning system. It requires most developments in England to deliver at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity value, making early engagement with ecologists essential. This is particularly important as the cost of purchasing Biodiversity Units -or more expensive

Statutory Biodiversity Credits – to offset habitat loss can be high, and developers must ensure that habitats created or enhanced for BNG are maintained for at least 30 years after completion.”

Dr Martin Brammah, Sweco UK National Ecology Lead

Across Europe

Avoiding biodiversity loss and reducing costs in road construction

Avoiding loss of biodiversity and reducing the costs of road construction, Norway: Reusing existing road corridors and protecting peatlands reduces costs, emissions and habitat disturbance.

“The ability to work multidisciplinary is crucial for reducing negative impacts on biodiversity and the environment, with the biggest gains often achieved in the early project stages. This comprehensive approach enables us to deliver optimal value for road users, society and the future.”

Stian Blindheim, project manager E18 Kragerø-Bamble, Nye Veier

A future-proof city with coastal protection for people and nature

Coastal protection, Sweden: Nature-based solutions such as wetlands and artificial reefs boost biodiversity and climate resilience. The city identified a need for coastal protection outside its harbour to reduce storm impacts expected to increase with rising sea levels. It sought solutions that minimise negative effects on marine and coastal environments.

“For our organisation, it is not only about conserving nature–but about being part of it. We see nature-based solutions as a way to bring together climate adaptation and coastal protection, recreation, and ecological values.”

Pär Svensson, Acting Section Manager, Land Development Division, City of Malmö

A new neighbourhood with a positive contribution to nature

Fælledby, Denmark: A new district on a former landfill creates high-quality local habitats and engages residents. Can a new urban district–built on a former landfill–contribute positively to local biodiversity? Fælledby, an 18-hectare urban development project in Copenhagen, Denmark, aims to do just that by 2030. The strategy focuses on offsetting lost green space by creating higher-quality habitats and fostering citizen engagement.

“Biodiversity matters to us because it matters to the people who will live in Fælledby. Our ambition is to create the best possible framework for life to benefit people and nature.”

Martin Baltser, Project development director, Fælledby

Biodiversity handbook in power line corridors and station areas

The Power Line Biodiversity Handbook, Sweden: Practical tools to help energy operators integrate biodiversity into everyday planning and operations.

“This handbook empowers grid operators to make biodiversity a core part of their operations: collaborate, map high-value nature with GIS, manage corridors as habitats, and document progress to meet environmental objectives and international frameworks.”

Eva Grusell, Ecologist, Sweco

Minimising biodiversity loss and use of virgin raw materials in a cycling highway

Kolenspoor Cycling Highway, Belgium: Adaptive lighting, eco-tunnels and recycled materials decrease species impact while revitalising regional mobility.  Preparing the cycling highway required avoiding negative impacts on the sensitive environment.

“The biggest challenge lies in realizing infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive environments, where every step must be carefully weighed to preserve and enhance local biodiversity – while also promoting innovative, sustainable construction solutions wherever possible.”

Stijn Van Dingenen, Projectmanager, Limburg

Revolutionising biodiversity research with a little help from bees and eDNA

An innovative project in Finland is using bees for eDNA-based research. The bees return not only with pollen but also with plant eDNA from their foraging trips. By analysing this pollen using eDNA technology, experts can determine which plants the bees visit and assess how tramway construction impacts local vegetation and the bees’ habitats.

“The importance of urban greening becomes more prominent with future challenges such as heatwaves and flood forecasting. Having bees collect undeniably accurate environmental data contributes to our mission to further improve environmental management and the resilience of urban areas.”

Jyrki Lehtimäki, Urban green expert at Tampere city

5 key trends driving Europe’s biodiversity agenda

1. 1. Biodiversity in Finance

There is a growing trend across Europe towards increased assessment and disclosure of biodiversity impacts by businesses and financial institutions, driven by the recognition of financial risks associated with biodiversity loss.

Global frameworks like Science-Based Targets for Nature enable companies and cities to set targets for their work on the climate and nature, and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) helps companies mitigate biodiversity-related risks. These frameworks are increasingly used by companies to enable systematic value-chain analyses, target setting and disclosures. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) includes reporting standards that also enable companies to disclose their contributions to biodiversity loss.

1. 2. Biodiversity Credit Markets

Increased assessment and disclosure of biodiversity impacts has led to the development of biodiversity offset and credit markets, which allow organisations to compensate for their impacts by investing in conservation efforts.

The UK and Germany are working with biodiversity credit markets, allowing businesses to offset their impact through conservation investments. In England, the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) policy sets a global benchmark, requiring a 10% improvement in biodiversity for new developments. The BNG is a development approach that requires developers in England to enhance wildlife habitats by at least 10% beyond their original state.

1. 3. Restoration and Conservation Investments

This trend is marked by the establishment of various funding mechanisms aimed at supporting biodiversity initiatives, such as Horizon Europe and the LIFE Programme. Despite these efforts, the European Commission has identified a funding gap, prompting the exploration of new financial instruments. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly being utilised to finance conservation projects, while national initiatives, like Denmark’s ‘Grøn Trepart,’ aim to repurpose farmland for biodiversity restoration.

Governments and businesses are scaling up restoration. Germany has pledged €4 billion, while Denmark is converting 400,000 hectares of land into wetlands and forests. Public-private partnerships facilitate collaboration that help define common priorities, which could be the key to driving large-scale conservation efforts across Europe.

1. 4. Biodiversity in Cities

This trend is partly driven by the EU Restoration Act, which requires the maintenance and expansion of green spaces and tree canopies in cities. This regulation, along with initiatives aimed at ‘wilding’ urban environments, seeks to restore natural ecosystems, create ecological corridors and involve citizens in sustainable planning, enhancing ecosystem services, improving climate resilience and promoting biodiversity in cities.

Swedish municipalities receive support for integrating ecosystem services and green infrastructure through the national Guidance for Green Planning. In the Netherlands, many municipalities now require nature-inclusive design as part of the process for issuing building permits; developers can score ‘nature points’ through features like green roofs and provision for wildlife. In Belgium, Antwerp is investing in a circular water network that purifies and reallocates freshwater for urban use, replenishing groundwater and enhancing biodiversity.

1. 5. Digital and AI-Powered Biodiversity Solutions

Technology is transforming conservation. AI-driven satellite imagery, vegetation monitoring drones, acoustic sensors, digital twins and biodiversity tracking apps like Seek and Pl@ntNet enhance monitoring, and tools like wildlife cameras are enabling real-time biodiversity assessments.