UN Biodiversity Lab

📣 Catch the UN Biodiversity Lab team at #COP17Armenia in Yerevan! 🌐🌿 Join us for a week of events exploring how spatial data and planning can act as an enabler across the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) to support countries to take action #ForNature, climate and people. 🔍 Discover tools and platforms that can support your country's use of spatial data and planning for biodiversity action. Our delegates on-the-ground include:  Annie Virnig, UNBL Co-Manager  Violeta Munoz, UNBL Co-Manager  Scott Consaul Atkinson, Senior Spatial Data Expert Marion Marigo, Senior Advisor  Sandra Neubert, Technical Analyst In Yerevan? 👋 Connect with our delegates and learn how UNBL can help progress Target 1 and deliver across the #KMGBF. UNEP-WCMC | UNDP | UN Biodiversity | UN Environment Programme #UNBL #SpatialData #BiodiversityData #BiodiversityAction

TODAY! How can spatial planning 🗺️ help deliver on Target 1 and advance the full #KMGBF?Join us at #COP17 in the Data to Action Pavilion for a peer-to-peer exchange on how spatial planning can advance Target 1 and support progress across the full Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF): 🌿Learn about UN Biodiversity Target 1 status, key negotiation topics, and the forthcoming IPBES Spatial Planning Assessment. 🌿 Hear from the subregional Technical and Scientific Support Centres (TSCCs) about challenges and opportunities for spatial planning in the Asia Pacific, Latin American, and African regions. 🌿Participate in a peer-to-peer dialogue w/ Ecuador, Malawi, South Africa, the European Union exploring existing initiatives and remaining challenges using spatial data and integrated planning to inform decisions across biodiversity, climate, and land degradation.  🌿Get an overview of tools and platforms supporting Parties to use spatial data & planning for the #KMGBF. Further event details ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gc5mhnzG  Grateful to collaborate with this fantastic group of speakers! Flavio Affinito Luis Inostroza Shonisani(Shoni) Munzhedzi Farai Tererai Sandra Neubert Joana Krieger Brian MacSharry SA Biodiversity SANBI Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Christian Elloran Comifac Comifac Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS) Sahara and Sahel Observatory Piero Visconti International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Conservation International UNDP UNEP-WCMC European Commission

🌿 We are thrilled to be in Yerevan for the 2026 UN Biodiversity Conference #COP17. Join us for a week of events exploring how spatial data and planning can act as an enabler across the #KMGBF to support countries to take action for nature, climate, and people. The UN Biodiversity Lab partnership is proud to partner with SA Biodiversity SANBI and an amazing group of Parties, TSCCs, and technical partners to bring these topics to life. We hope to see you there! 🦋 With thanks to our amazing speakers and partners: Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS) Sahara and Sahel Observatory ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity RCMRD- Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt Tiwonge I Mzumara-Gawa Mphatso, Martha Kalemba Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Farai Tererai Jillian Campbell Flavio Affinito Mahlodi Tau Ntakadzeni Tshidada M.Sc. (Plant Science)(Pri.Sci.Nat) California Natural Resources Agency Wade Crowfoot Neville Ash Melissa de Kock Andrew Skowno Katie Millette Hilary Goodson Group on Earth Observations (GEO) GBIF: The Global Biodiversity Information Facility Global Ecosystems Atlas Abir Ben Romdhane Christian Elloran Marion Marigo & many more! Learn more: -Putting Target 1 into Practice (Parts 1 & 2): https://lnkd.in/gipTmdAD -Investing in Spatial Intelligence: https://lnkd.in/gwKMQZ5F

🌍 🆕 New Feature Now Available: access global environmental data using UNBL STAC We are pleased to introduce the UN Biodiversity Lab SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC) and its accompanying STAC Browser - a highly organized, searchable library for spatial data. Built on open data standards and FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), the UNBL STAC Browser enables users to stream large, complex geospatial data layers without downloading it on their local devices. This will help users save:  ⏱️ Valuable time – instantly locate and view data  🖥️ Processing power – let STAC do the heavy lifting  💽 Storage space – keep your machines clean and fast 👉 Who is it for? Policymakers, nature conservationists, and biodiversity practitioners. Start exploring our collection of datasets today! 💻🔗 https://lnkd.in/d4AP4eaw  As a free, open-source digital public good, UNBL democratizes access to the spatial data you need to drive impactful conservation action. UNDP | UNEP-WCMC | UN Biodiversity #UNBiodiversityLab #SpatialData #Biodiversity #OpenData #Conservation 

🌍 🆕 New Feature Update: Custom Metrics on UNBL!     The UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) has launched Custom Metrics: a powerful new feature that enables users to directly upload their data and build custom metrics most relevant to their specific contexts and needs on UNBL’s interactive dashboards, allowing them to track biodiversity conservation targets of importance to them with greater accuracy. Custom metrics enables governments and other users to display metrics applicable to their requirements on the platform. The feature turns trusted data into actionable insights for monitoring, reporting and decision-making, under the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF). 👉 Who is it for? National policymakers, environmental ministries, and conservation planners. 👉 How is this feature supporting countries?   By using data from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ecuador built a custom dashboard with 12 metrics drawn from national geospatial data, including:   🏞️ land cover and land use,   🌳 ecosystem and forest types,   🌐 protected area coverage,   🍃 historical deforestation, and  🦶 human footprint.  UNBL is a free, open-source digital public good. Users do not need prior GIS experience. 🔗Watch the video below and learn how you can tailor your national dashboard with custom metrics: https://lnkd.in/d3Fg6gg9 #UNBiodiversityLab #SpatialData #Biodiversity #Ecuador UNEP-WCMC | UNDP | UN Biodiversity | UN Environment Programme  

At the request of Peru’s Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) through the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership’s MatchMaking Mechanism, we were proud to support national capacity building efforts to map, monitor and manage their tropical peatlands and carbon stocks, including the Pastaza-Marañón basin.  Through the UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL), participants worked hands-on with global and national peatland datasets. They explored and compared various peatland extent, peat carbon storage, and human disturbance layers, thereby gaining insights into leveraging UNBL to analyze tropical peatland extent, their carbon content, and disturbance activities in Peru. We are grateful for MINAM’s continued leadership on peatland conservation and look forward to continuing the collaboration as we continue to strengthen the evidence-base for peatland and biodiversity management.  Read more 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dRBRvnEt Global Peatlands Initiative | UN Environment Programme | UNDP | UNEP-WCMC | NBSAP Accelerator Partnership #Peatlands #NBSAP #KMGBF #Biodiversity

💡 Now available: Access 20 land degradation and desertification datasets on UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) As global leaders, scientific and business community, civil society, youth, women and Indigenous Peoples and local communities gather in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP17, we have collated 20 datasets dedicated to better understand and visualize the state of our lands and soils.  The collection of global map layers can help track land use changes, monitor soil health and restoration activities, and guide further action for sustainable land management. 👉 Who is it for? Policymakers, national focal points and environmental health practitioners  Below we highlight six such relevant datasets that are now available on UNBL:  🌍 World Atlas of Desertification (WAD) – https://lnkd.in/eVnK8j7H 🛰️ Global Land Cover Time Series (ESA CCI 300m 1992-2022 & ESRI 10m LULC 2017-2024) - https://lnkd.in/eDxfMAWb 🌍 Land Use Change in Africa (OSS) – https://lnkd.in/eYxRKwzt  ☀️ Global Aridity Index – https://lnkd.in/eeZmq2Qj)  🌱 Soil Carbon & Increase in Soil Organic Carbon (iSOC) – https://lnkd.in/e6zxtgAN 🌾 Crop Suitability 2011-2100 – https://lnkd.in/ehd-mYHR   💬 Looking for specific datasets on land degradation and desertification? Let us know in the comments and we'll share the link if it's available on the platform! You can also visit UNBL and search your desired datasets through ‘launch map’ feature.  Start exploring today! 💻 UNDP | UN Biodiversity | UNEP-WCMC | UN Environment Programme #UNBiodiversityLab #UNCCDCOP17 #Desertification #LandRestoration #SpatialData 

🆕 New Dataset: Mapping Nature’s Critical Contributions to People From purifying our water to protecting our coastlines, nature’s critical assets underpin human wellbeing. Yet, they are often left out of discussions and decisions about society and the economy.   To secure a sustainable future for all, it is crucial to identify and protect the ecosystems that provide these services. We are pleased to announce the launch of the Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) dataset, now availableon the UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL). Designed to visualize where nature provides most value to communities, the dataset features 8 new layers, including: 💧  Water Quality Regulation: Map nitrogen and sediment retention to protect clean water sources. 🐝  Food Security: Identify critical habitats for pollinator-dependent crops. 🌫️  Disaster Risk Reduction: Locate ecosystems that protect communities from natural calamities. 🏙️ Equitable Access: Assess urban and rural access to nature for recreation and well-being. This dataset can help countries prioritize ecosystems, enabling them to simultaneously advance development, achieve climate goals and support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (#KMGBF).  👉 Explore the dataset today: https://lnkd.in/dW2s5Xsg This dataset is a digital public good, available to empower evidence-based decision-making. #SpatialData #EcosystemServices #SustainableDevelopment #UNBiodiversityLab #Conservation     University of Minnesota | Stanford University | Natural Capital Alliance | The Natural Capital Project (NapCap) | IPBES | UN Biodiversity | United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | UN Environment Programme | UNEP-WCMC 

Building knowledge and capacity for our planet. 🌿💡 At a UN Biodiversity Lab training session, environmental stakeholders from around the world gained first-hand experience of using the UNBL platform. From accessing global datasets and customizing the map view to analysing dynamic metrics, our hands-on training was designed to help participants gain the practical skills needed to fully harness UNBL’s functionalities and accurately measure the health of ecosystems in their home countries. A huge congratulations to Francis Kanjira, jenifer suarez and Jimmy Cabrera for successfully completing the extra-credit assignment of creating a map of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for their country using UNBL. This critical index estimates how much of a region’s nature and natural biodiversity remains intact. Take a look at their outstanding maps below! #UNBiodiversityLab #UNBL #CapacityBuilding #SpatialData #DataForGood #Conservation

🌊 🆕 New Metric Available: Coastal Eutrophication Potential A new metric on Coastal Eutrophication is now available on the UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL). Developed in collaboration with the Global Eutrophication Watch (GEW), this metric tracks satellite-derived data on chlorophyll-a concentrations to classify global coastal waters into six distinct categories based on their eutrophication risk and long-term trends.  With this metric, users can:   🔸 Perform critical preliminary screenings of coastal water quality over time.  🔸 Identify areas at high risk of eutrophication for immediate management interventions.  🔸 Monitor and report long-term trends on coastal water health. 👉 Who is it for? Policymakers, marine conservationists, and agricultural leaders. As coastal eutrophication is primarily driven by nutrient runoff from rivers, this dataset uniquely empowers members from agricultural ministries and watershed planners. It enables users to connect downstream marine impacts to upstream sources, enabling targeted land-use actions to reverse eutrophication high-risk trends. 🗺️ See data in action:   1.     Select your Country  2.     Click on the Marine Dashboard  3.     Explore the different Marine Coastal areas   Start exploring this 🆕 metric today 💧  🔗 https://lnkd.in/eMskB-HP To learn more about the Global Eutrophication Watch platform, led by the Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center (NPEC) designated as NOWPAP CEARAC, visit: https://lnkd.in/eycDKzzv Genki Terauchi | UNEP-WCMC | UNDP | UN Biodiversity | UN Environment Programme #SpatialData #MarineConservation #SustainableDevelopment #SDG14 #KMGBF #CoastalEutrophication #WorldOceanDay