Overview
EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) comprise 22 political entities: nine ORs and thirteen OCTs. EU Overseas biodiversity is exceptionally rich and recognized as being of international importance. ORs and OCTs are part of biodiversity hotspots and are key actors for the implementation of international and regional conservation targets. At the same time the OR’s and OCT’s ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to invasive species, development, and climate change impacts.
The BEST initiative (Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of European overseas) is a series of actions carried out by the Commission to prioritise the protection and conservation of these areas.
Objectives
The BEST initiative aims to support the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystem services in ORs and OCTs. In particular, it aims to
- facilitate access to EU funds for actors in the EU ORs and OCTs to unlock initiatives and potential in biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of ecosystem services
- increase the capacity of ORs and OCTs actors to access and effectively manage EU funds
- increase the visibility of EU ORs and OCTs as key contributors to the achievement of EU and global biodiversity targets and strategies
Through the BEST initiative
Projects
So far, BEST has supported over 100 projects in the following six regions: Amazonia, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Pacific, Polar and Subpolar, and the South Atlantic. Find out more about previously funded projects in the regions as well as their ecosystem profiles.
French Guiana – Europe’s gateway to the Amazon rainforest – holds a treasure of yet undiscovered species, invaluable ecosystem services and a variety of traditional cultures within the EU’s largest protected area. However, this treasure is threatened by illegal human activities, and measures for sustainable resource management need to be developed to ensure long-term benefits to all.
View the regional ecosystem profile and explore previously funded projects.
The Caribbean region is home to highly diversified habitats and different cultures, which are all facing common economic and ecological challenges. Fostering collaboration is therefore critical to ensure sustainable development that thrives on the region’s natural assets without destroying them.
View the regional ecosystem profile and explore previously funded projects.
The Indian Ocean may be harbouring a large part of the region’s healthy marine biodiversity and protected areas, but it is also facing rapid ecosystem degradation due to rapid and unsustainable development. Improving knowledge on the connection between a healthy environment and a healthy economy will help to better integrate and enforce protection measures in policies.
View the regional ecosystem profile and explore previously funded projects.
Home to an exceptional number of endemic species, the Macaronesian archipelagos have grown immensely in population and tourist numbers, but they also face the challenges associated with unsustainable development. Good management of natural resources for tourism, agriculture and fisheries is thus pivotal to maintain the economic and ecological health of the region.
View the regional ecosystem profile and explore previously funded projects.
Spreading over an area larger than continental Europe, the over 130 islands and atolls of the Pacific overseas region showcase an incredible richness of unique biodiversity and coral reefs, which provide fundamental ecosystem services to the local economy. However, the impacts from humans and invasive species demonstrate the need to better protect these vulnerable habitats through targeted conservation measures in the two Pacific subregions.
View the regional ecosystem profiles for French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and Pitcairn. Explore previously funded projects.
The cold waters of the overseas entities in the Arctic and Antarctic produce an enormous variety of marine life, including an important part of Europe’s fish supply. Though the region is largely uninhabited or only sparsely populated, its biodiversity and ecosystems are extremely affected by climate change and the consequences of overexploitation.
View the regional ecosystem profile and explore previously funded projects.
A variety of climates – from cool temperate to warm tropical – and the region’s isolated location led to a vast diversity of species but did not prevent imperilment by universal threats such as invasive alien species. Improving knowledge to better inform action and management plans is thus essential to protect the biodiversity and habitats in the South Atlantic region.
View the regional ecosystem profile and explore previously funded projects.
Apply for funding
Find out how to apply for funding for new projects. Funded through the LIFE Programme a new project, BESTLIFE2030, started in early 2023 with IUCN as the coordinating beneficiary. More information on this project can be found here.
Background
In July 2008 a conference on "The European Union and its Overseas Entities: Strategies to counter Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss" was held in La Réunion under the French Presidency of the European Union resulting in the “Message from Reunion Island”. BEST is one follow-up to the "Message from Reunion Island" and its importance was again highlighted in the 2014 "Message from Guadeloupe".
It all started with the BEST LIFE Preparatory Action which was first adopted by the European Parliament in 2010. It was then resubmitted twice in 2011 and 2012, with an overall budget of 6 million Euros, funding 16 projects through the 2 open calls for proposals (BEST-2011 and BEST-2012). The projects addressed issues such as designation and management of terrestrial and marine protected areas; combatting invasive alien species; climate change adaptation and mitigation; valuation of ecosystem services; networking, education, capacity-building and outreach activities.
BEST 2.0 was launched in 2014, drawing on the lessons of its predecessor. Following three calls for project proposals (2015, 2016, 2017), the programme established a grant facility for small- (up to EUR 100,000) and medium-sized (up to EUR 400,000) grants for biodiversity actions in OCTs. The grants were awarded to over 60 projects in the five OCT regions.
Another follow-up to the BEST Preparatory Action was the 3-year BEST RUP project, launched in 2017, to implement the pilot project “Inventory of Species and Habitats and Environmentally Sensitive Areas in the French Outermost Regions (ORs).” In 2020, the Life4BEST and BEST 2.0+ programmes took over following the end of BEST RUP and BEST 2.0, covering the ORs and the OCTs respectively.
Since 2018 the European Commission has also been supporting the mapping and assessment of the state of ecosystems and their services in the EU’s outermost regions and overseas countries and territories through the MOVE and MOVE-ON pilot projects.
Related links
Related topics: Marine and coastal environment, Nature and biodiversity
Related strategies: Biodiversity strategy for 2030
Related Commission priorities: European Green Deal
View the archived BEST website.