A new composite indicator to assess and monitor performance and drawbacks of the implementation of Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Abstract

This paper proposes a new composite indicator for the assessment of the implementation of Aichi Targets (ATCI) following a benchmarking approach simultaneously considering performance and drawbacks. ATCI is based on 37 indicators related to the 5 Aichi Strategic Goals and its aggregated scores and ranks are calculated using three BoD-DEA models to integrate performance and drawback scores for Targets. ATCI was applied to 21 European countries and its scores were mapped and classified into four groups according to their location in performance-drawbacks space: S1) Caution, S2) Excellence, S3) Fragility and S4) Catching up. Countries in S1 and S3 are recommended to mitigate drawbacks to facilitate the implementation of the Aichi Targets. Results showed that 52% of the countries (Italy, Hungary, Greece, Czechia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Latvia, Slovenia and Slovakia) should pay urgent attention to the Aichi Targets since they show the highest limitations. Based on limitations, two country profiles were identified: countries with high economic development, high population density and corresponding impacts on biodiversity, and countries of medium/low economic development, weak governance and few drawbacks related to human impacts on the environment. These impacts, however, can be aggravated if their economic situation improves and institutional constraints are not addressed.