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Acknowledging the positive contribution that green and blue infrastructure can bring to the implementation of the EU Nature legislation and to the achievement of the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020, Action 12 of this Action Plan foresees the development of a guidance providing a strategic framework for further supporting the deployment of EU-level green infrastructure so as to enhance the delivery of essential ecosystem services throughout the EU territory.
This guidance implements this action, and seeks to encourage the scaling-up of investments in EU-level GI projects, avoiding that there are only a few independent initiatives that do not deliver the full potential. It aims to stimulate a more strategic and integrated approach to GI, so as to maximise the delivery of ecosystem services and the EU added value, using the Natura 2000 network as its backbone. It should contribute to restoring and better connecting functional ecosystems and to improving the connectivity of the Natura 2000 network and other areas of high value for biodiversity that are fragmented or isolated. It should also contribute to fostering the integration of ecosystem services in EU policies and supporting funding instruments, and it complements the dedicated guidance on integrating ecosystems and their services in planning and decision-making also foreseen under the Action Plan.