N°398Content

The joint goals to enhance infrastructure resilience to extreme weather events, increase traffic safety and nature restoration can be achieved by mainstreaming biodiversity in planning, design and operation of transport infrastructure. Deployment of concrete actions which have been proven effective must be accelerated while new innovative solutions and technologies are being developed. The online handbook "Biodiversity and infrastructure. A handbook for action" [1] promoted by IENE together with the Horizon 2020 BISON project, and other organisations, includes guidelines and standards to be applied by practitioners, which can also be upgraded to include newly available knowledge when required. It is a key tool in expanding the application of effective solutions. The website also includes the "Transport ecology guidelines portal" allowing easy access to guidelines published in different countries and a "Glossary", paramount for the use of a common vocabulary and for the mutual understanding between experts of ecology and infrastructure fields. This is the basis for cooperation of both disciplines to identify present and emerging conflicts, understand the driving forces and causes, and accelerate the application of appropriate solutions to reduce biodiversity loss and increase infrastructure resilience and safety.