Reference Area
The comprehensive, spatially and temporally consistent mapping of land use and land cover and their respective changes forms the basis for environmental monitoring in all fields of the Action Plan on Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity. Particularly where information on specific surveys (e.g., biotope types, cadastral information) is only available in insufficient spatial or temporal resolution or where existing systems contradict or overlap (e.g., peatlands and forests), an initial mapping of the reference area for the reference year (baseline of the Action Plan), for subsequent years and also for the past is essential. Clear definitions and spatial specifications of land cover units for the different fields of action of the Action Plan are essential in order to document the implementation of measures and climate-relevant land cover changes in spatial terms.
Existing geodata on land cover are potentially suitable for depicting such reference areas, but have spatial and temporal gaps and inconsistencies. The service provides a spatially and temporally consistent representation of the reference land cover area for the Action Plan that meets the specific requirements of the monitoring tasks of the various fields of action. The product should also be as compatible as possible so that it can also be used for other activities (e.g., biodiversity monitoring), reporting obligations (especially climate reporting) and regulations relating to climate and nature conservation in the national context.