SYstemic Mobilisation for Joint Biodiversity and Infrastructure
About
Overview
SYMBIOSIS is a pioneering interdisciplinary initiative aimed at integrating biodiversity throughout the lifecycle of railway infrastructure projects, fostering a collaborative and holistic approach to create sustainable and resilient infrastructure, whilst contributing to a unified European biodiversity baseline.
Project Objectives
There are three strategic objectives that are central to the project proposal:
- Underline Key Enablers – Set out the key enabling environment that will mainstream and accelerate action for biodiversity consideration in infrastructure development and decision making, focusing on transport policies, the Environmental Impact Assessment procedures, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and financing and procurement processes.
- Deliver Practical Tools – To develop a comprehensive set of sustainable land management tools that will aim to enrich biodiversity while making infrastructure more resilient, cost-effective, reliable, safe and carbon negative.
- Convene communities of practice – To convene rail operators and key entities responsible for biodiversity monitoring throughout Europe to establish an inclusive framework applicable to transport infrastructure beyond railways and the broader landscape, to harmonise and standardise the collection, curation, analysis reporting and integration of high-quality and high-reliability biodiversity data.
Facts & Figures
Project title: SYstemic Mobilisation for Joint Biodiversity and Infrastructure
Project coordinator: UIC
Project budget combined amount: 2.8 M €
Duration: 36 months
Project start date: 01/09/2024
Project end date: 31/08/2027
Countries: 13
Members: 21
Grant agreement ID: 101177281
This project has received funding from the ERJU research and innovation programme under grant agreement
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinion expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The SYMBIOSIS project is supported by the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking and its members.
Communication & Dissemination
Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Transport Infrastructure
From Research to Practice through SYMBIOSIS Integrating biodiversity into transport infrastructure planning is no longer optional — it has become a key condition for achieving long-term sustainability and resilience. As transport networks expand...
Changing the Scale of Perspective: From Linear, Isolated Transport Infrastructure to Sustainable Transport Networks
Connecting people is fundamental to modern societies, making the transport sector vital for both the economy and citizens’ well-being. To make that connection sustainable, environmental factors must be included in the equation. Nowadays, climate change dominates the...
Symbiosis participants, ICSI and UIC Lead the Call for Nature‑Positive, Climate‑Smart Transport at COP30
Belem, Brazil November 2025 – In a range of cross-sector sessions COP30, the International Council on Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI) and the International Union of Railways (UIC) underscored that nature‑positive, people‑centric transport is no longer a lofty...
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SAVE THE DATE: Symbiosis Stakeholders Engagement Workshop
Date: Thursday, 25 September 2025 Time: 11:00–14:00 CEST (online) SYMBIOSIS will host an online Stakeholders Engagement Workshop to advance the integration of biodiversity into transport and energy infrastructure across Europe. The session is designed both for...
Symbiosis project to be showcased at UIC Sustainability Action week 10-13 March
Following the success of the 2023 edition the UIC sustainability Platform will host the 2025 UIC Sustainability Action Week, a highly interactive 4-day event, with a series of workshops and seminars on a broad range of sustainability topics. 🔹 Stay all week or mix...
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SYMBIOSIS Project brochure
Brochure Symbiosis-boards
Deliverables
D1.2: Data Management Plan
D1.3: Data Management Report
D2.1: Communication, dissemination & Exploitation plan
D2.2: Knowledge Transfer and Capacity Building Strategy
D2.3: Stakeholder analysis and recommendations
D2.4: Communication, dissemination & exploitation report
D2.5: Report on the R&I strategic recommendations
D2.6: Knowledge & Learning Hub
D3.1: Impact Assessment Tools for Linear Infrastructures
D3.2: Harmonised methodology to prioritise NbS for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
D3.3: Decision support Guidelines to reinforce Blue and Green Infrastructure on transport and energy infrastructure
D3.4: Biodiversity-CO2 calculator for the railway sector. Methodology, case studies and its evaluation.
D4.1: Report on ‘Transformative Insights and Strategies for Biodiversity Monitoring in European Railway’
D4.2: Advancements in Automated Biodiversity Monitoring for European Railways
D4.3: Assessment of the benefits and challenges to integrating real-time biodiversity data into rail infrastructure GIS and BIM alongside data on economic performance and carbon emissions
D4.4: Recommendations for new approaches for standardised biodiversity monitoring.
D5.1: Analysis report on assessing societal priorities on sustainable transport development.
D5.2: Recommendations for enhancing cross-cutting biodiversity and climate policies on railway infrastructure.
D5.3: Recommendations on environmental impact assessment of the cumulative effects of pairing infrastructure development.
D5.4: Recommendations for mainstreaming biodiversity within the procurement process, as well as for improving the disclosure regarding biodiversity in the supply chain in compliance with the new standards
Advisory board
The Advisory Board (AB) aims to provide strategic guidance and expert insights to enhance the SYMBIOSIS project by facilitating knowledge exchange among stakeholders in transport infrastructure, energy networks, environmental agencies, NGOs, researchers, and the private sector.
Activities:
- Expert Consultation: Provide recommendations on transport and energy sectors.
- Knowledge Sharing: Foster exchanges with expert communities through dedicated networks.
- Framework Development: Contribute to developing project frameworks aligned with sector standards.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Connect the project with relevant stakeholders for broader collaboration.
- Capacity Building: Share knowledge and resources to support SYMBIOSIS.
- Monitoring: Assist in assessing the project’s impact on transport and energy sectors.
Stakeholders
Consortium
This project has received funding from the ERJU research and innovation programme under grant agreement
