The power of reference collections for biodiversity monitoring

This policy brief addresses the accelerated biodiversity decline driven by global environmental changes and emphasizes the role of biodiversity monitoring within the EU Green Deal, the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, and the Global Biodiversity Framework. It underscores the need for accurate, reliable taxonomic data, tools, and expertise to support these initiatives. The brief highlights the EU-funded TETTRIS project, which develops and validates taxonomic knowledge and systems essential for effective biodiversity governance. Additionally, it presents the importance of reference collections, particularly for European pollinator monitoring, and outlines a roadmap for linked virtual and physical reference collections. These collections, supported by Third-Party Projects (3PPs) across European biodiversity hotspots, provide verified specimen identifications for consistent benchmarking in biodiversity assessment.