Disclosing Taxonomic Capacity: Scaling a European Marketplace for Expertise and Innovation

Europe’s biodiversity, restoration and bioeconomy ambitions depend on reliable taxonomic expertise. However, the European Redlist of Insect Taxonomists (2022) (Hochkirch et al. 2022), demonstrates that taxonomic capacity across Europe is under pressure. Over 40% of insect orders at European level show threatened or eroded capacity, with substantial disparities between Member States and clear structural weaknesses in workforce renewal. At the same time, demand for reliable species identification and biodiversity data is increasing due to implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Nature Restoration Law and the European Pollinator Monitoring Scheme. To bridge the gap between capacity and demand, Europe requires not only renewed investment in taxonomy but also an operation mechanism to help mobilise, connect and make visible existing expertise. A taxonomic community European Marketplace for Taxonomic expertise and e-Services provides such a mechanism. It builds directly on the RedList recommendation to establish a centralised and continuously updated hub of European taxonomic expertise (Hochkirch et al. 2022). Strategic support is now required to consolidate and institutionalise this capability within Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.