{"id":420744,"date":"2026-03-11T15:30:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T14:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=420744"},"modified":"2026-03-16T13:26:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T12:26:53","slug":"e8-million-for-biodiversity-in-europes-overseas-territories-81-new-projects-launched","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/news\/e8-million-for-biodiversity-in-europes-overseas-territories-81-new-projects-launched\/","title":{"rendered":"8 million euros for biodiversity in Europe&#8217;s overseas territories: 81 new projects launched"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p><strong>The second call for proposals from BESTLIFE2030 has mobilised more than 8 million euros for 81 new projects. IUCN NL is providing guidance and support for twelve of these projects.<\/strong> <strong>BESTLIFE2030 is a grant programme aimed at the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in the outermost regions (ORs) and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) of the European Union. These areas are rich in biodiversity, but also face significant threats from tourism and climate change.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color\">Header foto: St Maarten&nbsp;<strong>\u00a9<\/strong>&nbsp;Caroline Ross, Unsplash<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The programme consists of a consortium of experts to guide and support the implementation of nature projects. Following a second call for proposals, more than 8 million euros of the total budget of 23.4 million euros is now being mobilised for 81 new projects. IUCN NL is responsible for supporting twelve projects on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Cura\u00e7ao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vulnerable nature, indispensable value<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The EU&#8217;s overseas territories are home to an exceptional wealth of species. Many of these species are endemic, which means they are nowhere else in the world to be found. At the same time, these ecosystems are under increasing pressure from climate change, land degradation, tourism, pollution and habitat loss. For people living in these areas, healthy biodiversity is vital: investing in nature means investing in the future of entire communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local partners take the lead<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The projects focus on concrete action: restoring ecosystems, protecting endangered species and strengthening nature management. Six projects have already been launched in a previous round under the supervision of IUCN NL. Twelve new projects are now being added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>These twelve include projects that focus on preventing and combating invasive species and erosion, establishing marine protected areas, restoring coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove forests, and actively protecting sea turtle nesting beaches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>These projects contribute to European and international biodiversity and climate goals. Which means in practice, local actions are directly linked to global ambitions. Would you like to know more about the programme, the selected partners and our role?.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/project\/bestlife2030-nature-conservation-on-aruba-bonaire-curacao-saba-st-eustatius-and-st-maarten\/\">Visit the project page<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"background background-preset-primary\" id=\"block_4625a8adc2fab580e1f7523373be2df4\">\n             <div class=\"dark custom-padding-top\">\n    \n\n\n<div class=\"smallteam-members__name12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n\t<div id=\"team-members-block_e0766e3aca26a902f335c73dbc988657\" class=\"team-members team-members-block block\">\n\t\t<span class=\"anchor-id\" id=\"\"><\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"team-members__title\">\n\t\t\t\t<div>More information? Contact:<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"team-members__body small-12 grid-x\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__item grid-x small-12 medium-6\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image cell shrink\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image-wrapper lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/57IUCN-290915-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/57IUCN-290915-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/2560;\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info cell auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__details\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__name\">Caspar\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVerwer<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__jobtitle\">Senior Expert Nature Conservation<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__email\">Email:\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"mailto:caspar.verwer@iucn.nl\">caspar.verwer@iucn.nl<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__socials\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caspar-verwer-65835728\/?originalSubdomain=nl\" class=\"team-members__socials-icon ico-linkedin\" aria-label=\"Linkedin profile of Caspar Verwer\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/themes\/gopublic-motor-theme-child\/src\/images\/linkedin-icon.svg\" alt=\"Linkedin logo\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/casparverwer\" class=\"team-members__socials-icon ico-twitter\" aria-label=\"Twitter profile of Caspar Verwer\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/themes\/gopublic-motor-theme-child\/src\/images\/twitter-icon.svg\" alt=\"Twitter logo\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__item grid-x small-12 medium-6\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image cell shrink\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/mark-van-der-wal\/\" target=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image-wrapper lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2022\/07\/40Mark-IUCN-040722-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2022\/07\/40Mark-IUCN-040722-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/2560;\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info cell auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__details\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/mark-van-der-wal\/\" target=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__name\">Mark\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvan der Wal<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__jobtitle\">Senior Expert Ecosystems &#038; Extractives<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__email\">Email:\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"mailto:mark.vanderwal@iucn.nl\">mark.vanderwal@iucn.nl<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__readmore\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/mark-van-der-wal\/\" target=\"\">Full profile<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__socials\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nl.linkedin.com\/in\/mark-van-der-wal-4a809123\" class=\"team-members__socials-icon ico-linkedin\" aria-label=\"Linkedin profile of Mark van der Wal\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/themes\/gopublic-motor-theme-child\/src\/images\/linkedin-icon.svg\" alt=\"Linkedin logo\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The second call for proposals from BESTLIFE2030 has mobilised more than 8 million euros for 81 new projects. IUCN NL is providing guidance and support for twelve of these projects. BESTLIFE2030 is a grant programme aimed at the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in the outermost regions (ORs) and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":420049,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[362,359],"class_list":["post-420744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-bestlife2030en","tag-nature-conservation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420744"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":421258,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420744\/revisions\/421258"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}