This science-policy study sets out how forest-related biodiversity could be included in the EU Taxonomy, to help encourage sustainable investments in forests.

The EU Taxonomy Regulation creates a common set of indicators and criteria to classify sustainable commercial activities and investments. While forest-related activities have been included in the EU Taxonomy under climate change mitigation and adaptation criteria, so far they have been excluded from biodiversity protection and restoration criteria.
 

This report aims to fill the gap. Based on scientific evidence it provides guidance for biodiversity-oriented forest management, and proposes a set of 26 quantitative indicators and provides examples of thresholds which would be applicable under the EU Taxonomy standard. Novel monitoring methods are presented for cost efficient assessments of forest biodiversity and compliance to the Taxonomy.