Testing Biodiversity Credits in European Wetlands (Biodiv CrEW)
Europe is exploring new ways to reward those who restore and protect nature. Biodiversity credits are certificates that represent measurable positive ecological outcomes — such as healthier habitats, more species, or better water storage. These credits can be generated through nature restoration and can then be purchased by companies, institutions, or individuals who want to invest in nature. The EU LIFE project “Testing Biodiversity Credits in European Wetlands” is piloting this approach by aiming to restore degraded wetlands, generate biodiversity credits, and test their value on the market, while keeping landowners at the forefront of decision-making.
What is involved:
- Baseline assessment – Measuring the condition of the site before intervention.
- Restoration actions – Activities like rewetting peatlands, removing invasive species, reintroducing native plants, or restoring natural water flows.
- Monitoring and verification – Independent experts confirm that the ecological improvements meet the criteria of a recognized nature credit standard.
- Issuance of credits – One credit corresponds to a defined unit of nature-positive outcome (e.g. 1 credit = 1% nature improvement in 1 ha of wetlands).
The project will implement pilot sites across a number of European countries, deliver a comprehensive overview of biodiversity certification and credit schemes, and test the market for those credits to be sold.
The consortium includes key stakeholders across the entire biodiversity credit value chain: NABU (largest German conservation NGO), ELO and Eurosite (wetland owners/managers), Bloom Labs (independent biodiversity credit expert and consultancy), aeco and Sylva (project developers), and VW Financial Services (pilot customer).
