Conservation efficiency of geopolitical coordination in the EU

SummaryThis study examines the scope for efficiency gains in geopolitical coordination between the European Union member states. The increasing number of member states and the implementation of conservation actions at many different administrative levels indicate that geopolitical coordination will become increasingly important. The potential scale of efficiency gains is examined, using data on the distribution of 2676 plant species and 181 mammal species and data on the cost of reducing agricultural production as an illustrative measure of conservation cost. The study indicates there may be considerable improvements in species representation if conservation efforts between EU member states are coordinated. The current data set implies increased resource allocation to the southern parts of the EU, due to high numbers of range-restricted species. Surprisingly, coordination also involves increased allocation of resources to regions with high conservation costs.