From islands to EU policy

Europe’s outermost regions (ORs) and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) are home to some of the world’s most valuable biodiversity and marine ecosystems. Positioned at the frontline of climate change and biodiversity loss, these territories are not only highly vulnerable but also uniquely placed to deliver practical, locally led solutions that contribute directly to the European Union’s environmental and climate objectives.

As the EU prepares the next multiannual financial framework (2028-2034), a critical window has opened to better align political ambition with investment priorities. In this context, overseas regions should be recognised not as peripheral but as strategic partners offering cost-effective, scalable pathways to deliver EU biodiversity targets, climate adaptation goals and international commitments.

Foreseen to be hosted by MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral at the European Parliament, this high-level session explores how tested, locally driven approaches can be translated into EU policy and investment frameworks. It positions BESTLIFE2030 as a proven delivery mechanism for biodiversity action in overseas regions, demonstrating how bottom-up solutions can inform policy, unlock funding opportunities and support long-term impact.

Bringing together policymakers, practitioners and funders, the discussion connects political priorities with on-the-ground experience and identifies concrete pathways to scale what works. Through evidence from early-stage projects and strategic exchange, the session highlights how locally led initiatives, designed within complex socio-ecological systems, can evolve into replicable, investable models for Europe.

Ultimately, the event aims to shift the narrative from isolated projects to structured investment approaches, from local solutions to European policy relevance and from short-term funding to sustained, strategic financing for biodiversity in overseas regions.

This event is co-organised by the European Bureau for Conservation and Development (EBCD), which hosts the Secretariat of the MEP Group on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development.