The overall objective of EU-VNP-Net is to establish, support and energise an EU Valuing Nature Network of Networks (EU-VNN) and to implement a prioritised EU Valuing Nature Programme (EU-VNP) that, together, build synergies and collaborations among relevant existing and emerging networks (global, EU, national, sector, thematic, research and innovation), accelerate mainstreaming and operationalization of natural capital (NC) by businesses across the EU – in particular through uptake of NC assessment, NC accounting (NCA), nature-based solutions (NBS) and green infrastructure (GI) – and thereby contribute to the green economy and sustainable development. The EU-VNP will: (1) bring together, taking stock of and showcase relevant work being undertaken in the EU; (2) shape business perception in the EU of the value of nature as a business opportunity and as a means of reducing business risk and fostering sustainable business; (3) facilitate corporate uptake in the EU of the Natural Capital Protocol, which enables businesses to integrate NC in to business decision-making frameworks and models; (4) stimulate uptake in the EU of NCA so that businesses and their stakeholders are better aware of the value of nature in relation to business, and strengthen coherence between private and public sector work on NCA; (5) stimulate uptake in the EU of NBS, GI and related ecosystem-based solutions that enable businesses to reduce impacts and dependencies on NC and deliver benefits for both nature and business; (6) ensure that approaches adopted are optimal and scientifically rigorous; (7) explore options for a longer-term EU-VNN and/or EU-VNP beyond end of project. EU-VNP-Net will deliver impact through: (1) mainstreaming NC assessment, NCA, NBS and GI in business decision-making frameworks and models; (2) business decision-makers acknowledging the micro-and macro-economic relevance and value of NC approaches; (3) attracting private and public funding for further adoption.

NetworkNature will establish a European and global platform allowing all interested stakeholders to access and contribute cutting-edge, innovative knowledge and expertise on nature-based solutions (NBS). Our consortium represents all relevant stakeholder groups and has access to a range of related networks. We have a strong track record and extensive expertise on this topic in terms of engagement, content, technical know-how and involvement in relevant policy processes at European Union (EU) and global level. This allows us to maximise the EU’s potential to become a global leader in deploying innovative NBS to address societal challenges, building on the ongoing work of all Horizon 2020 and BiodivERsA-funded NBS projects as well as relevant other initiatives and programmes in Europe and beyond. The project’s legacy will be ensured through establishing a sustainable platform structure that responds to the needs of the NBS community of innovators based on a sound and stable business model; providing support to and strengthening the NBS community, particularly small and medium enterprises, practitioners and policy-makers, to foster market uptake as well as the transfer and application of innovative NBS; by providing targeted dialogue opportunities across Europe and in regions, guidance and capacity building as well as using advocacy as vehicle to nurture NBS through policy, research and practice, particularly for design and standardisation; and, finally, by building on existing global initiatives to continue enhancing international cooperation to upscale the implementation of NBS. NetworkNature will help transform the EU’s vision of becoming a leader for NBS into reality through a comprehensive, up-to-date, open, user-oriented platform for NBS, building on the dynamic, but to date less streamlined development across the involved stakeholders, projects, existing platforms and policies in the EU over the past years.

The proposed project: “Copernicus for environmental law enforcement support” (hereafter: EnviroLENS) aims to widely open the doors towards regular usage of EO technologies in legal sector. The goal of EnviroLENS is to deliver specific environmental governance and enforcement services that will enable immediate and EFFECTIVE environmental MONITORING and ENFORCEMENT → providing legal precedents thus, establishing a confidence base amongst user community → providing a motivation for policy/contract designers to construct statutory/legal solutions that clearly foresee the usage of EO data/services → boosting the employment of EO services in legal sector. EnviroLENS delivers three types of innovations: 1. TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS Earth observation technology + Semantic data mining technology will be used to merge two seemingly unrelated domains (EO and legal domain) into a joint environmental enforcement eco-system. 2. CONCEPTUAL INNOVATIONS; EnviroLENS is delivering a cross-domain solution = not constrained by usage domain nor constrained by the type of EO service. The uniqueness of the EnviroLENS arises from its front-office capabilities; EnviroLENS can embrace any EO service and transform it by enriching it with new (LEGAL) added value. 3. COMMERCIAL INNOVATIONS are based on EnviroLENS open value chain strategy, the main idea being that anybody can contribute and receive commercial benefit out of his contribution. The project is dedicated into the promotion of EO data as admissible court evidence, not just to change the ruling procedures, but to provide tenets for policy makers and lawyers to seriously consider usage of EO data as regular means of environmental control (making it part of regulations: laws and contracts). EnviroLENS will create completely new market niche addressing LEGAL domain in areas of: Contractual management and Environmental governance. Project exibits high market potential with 30.000.000 EUR NPV and 35% IRR.