On 23 June 2026, a workshop related to one of B-Cubed’s case studies (Case Study IV) took place, where the project and its results were presented in front of stakeholders. Тhe case study aims to establish a workflow that promotes the integration of data reported in the scope of the Habitats Directive with data from other sources, in particular the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and to set the standard of more consistent and widespread data reporting. The event brought together representatives from different countries and institutions, as well as researchers, to exchange and discuss hands-on experiences on reporting of the Habitats Directive in Europe.
To set the scene for how GBIF can support countries in meeting their reporting obligations, B-Cubed coordinator Quentin Groom presented a recent policy brief using Belgium as an example. This was followed by a more detailed presentation on how GBIF data can optimise reporting under the Habitats Directive in Europe. A particular focus was also placed on how the project has developed a set of tools and approaches based on species occurrence cubes, which facilitate data mobilisation, standardisation, and downstream analytical workflows. These solutions are designed to support FAIR and open data principles, improve biodiversity assessments, and provide more robust biodiversity indicators to support evidence-based policy.
The presentations were followed by an open discussion, which highlighted that approaches to integrating GBIF data into national reporting vary considerably across Europe. While some countries have fully integrated GBIF records into their national biodiversity information systems, others rely on separate national workflows despite some of their datasets also being published through GBIF. These different experiences underlined the need for flexible yet standardised approaches that can accommodate national contexts while improving interoperability. Participants also identified data validation and the handling of sensitive species records as key challenges. While citizen science contributes a significant proportion of biodiversity observations available through GBIF, ensuring the quality and appropriate use of these records remains essential for policy reporting.
Overall, the workshop reinforced that improving biodiversity reporting requires not only technical solutions but also closer collaboration between biodiversity data providers, policy makers and national authorities. The insights gathered will be summarised in an upcoming policy brief. In the meantime, you can read about our previous results and recommendations in the other B-Cubed policy briefs.
