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Spatial priorities for a Trans-European Nature Network (TEN-N). D7.2: Variants of spatial configurations of a potential TEN-N
This deliverable presents an integrated pan-European spatial planning framework to identify priorities for protected area expansion, strict protection and restoration, supporting the development of a Trans-European Nature Network (TEN-N). Using high-resolution data on biodiversity, nature's contributions to people (NCP), climate resilience, ecological corridors and socio-economic costs, we developed 144 alternative spatial prioritisation scenarios varying in their planning criteria and preferences such as nature's values and the sharing of area targets among European countries and biogeographic regions. The performance of priority areas was then evaluated across a range of metrics, notably measuring the benefits for species and habitats, NCP, climate resilience and ecological connectivity. Strategically expanding protected areas by an additional 5% of European land (from 25% currently protected to 30%) could significantly increase habitat representation from 49% to 69%, and species representation from 33% to 45%, while also securing key areas for ecosystem services, carbon, connectivity and climate-resilience. Similarly, expanding strict protection to 10% in strategically placed priority areas could increase habitat representation from 8.0% to 54% (i.e. a 7-fold increase) and species representation from 4.7% to 27% (6-fold increase). Restoration priorities could restore 24% of potential species distributions and 31% of potential habitat distributions, both within and outside protected areas. A complementary scoping analysis using the Key Biodiversity Area Secretariat's tool found that up to 46% of the priority areas identified could potentially meet global KBA criteria, highlighting that the pan-European priority areas also have substantial potential to contribute to global biodiversity conservation. The resulting spatial datasets provide a blueprint for conservation, strict protection, restoration and ecological connectivity, supporting countries and planning authorities in developing pathways towards a coherent and resilient TEN-N.
