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Press release

New report analyzes biodiversity research for World Biodiversity Day

Amsterdam | May 22, 2023

Elsevier launches report that explores biodiversity research in the Netherlands and across the globe

To mark International Day for Biological Diversity 2023, Elsevier(opens in new tab/window), a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, has today launched a free to download report that takes an in-depth look into Dutch biodiversity research in comparison to other nations: ‘Biodiversity Research in the Netherlands and Worldwide.’

The report compares the scope and impact of biodiversity research in the Netherlands and from around the world, covering the academic landscape, collaboration with industry, how international policy is shaped, and an analysis of Dutch biodiversity research funding.

Biodiversity research(opens in new tab/window) is the study of life on earth at all levels, from genes to entire ecosystems consisting of plants, animals, humans, and other organisms. It not only includes rare, threatened or endangered species, it encompasses every living thing.

The report highlights a number of key findings:

  • Scholarly research on biodiversity is increasing fast, with an 8% year-on-year increase in articles over the last decade and 10% increase in the last five years.

  • In Europe, biodiversity research in the Netherlands is in the global top three countries for impact, with a Field Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) of 2.40, while Switzerland and Sweden have FWCIs of 2.44 and 2.38.

  • There is strong international collaboration on this topic, with Dutch researchers collaborating with authors outside the Netherlands on 83% of research articles. This is much higher than the global average of 37% for biodiversity articles.

  • During the last decade, European countries published the most biodiversity research, with 41% of authors based in Europe, followed by the US (21%) and China (16%). The European lead has increased over the last two years.

Michiel Kolman, Senior Vice President of Research Networks, Elsevier, said: “The loss of biodiversity is a critical environmental challenge. If biodiversity declines further, so will the quality of life on earth. We hope this report proves useful to all stakeholders – from lawmakers to researchers and the public – as we collectively address this important issue. On a positive note, it’s very encouraging to see both such high volume and quality of research on this topic, both here in the Netherlands and across the globe.”

Analysis for report was carried out using Scopus, the world’s largest database of peer-reviewed literature. Scopus indexes content from more than 25,000 academic journals and 7,000 publishers.

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Notes for editors

About Elsevier

As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems. In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, academic leaders, funders, R&D-intensive corporations, doctors, and nurses.  

Elsevier employs 9,000 people worldwide, including over 2,500 technologists. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect,  Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, medical education, and nursing education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on over 2,800 journals, including The Lancet(opens in new tab/window) and Cell(opens in new tab/window); 46,000+ eBook titles; and iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation(opens in new tab/window) and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world. 

Elsevier is part of RELX(opens in new tab/window), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.

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David Tucker

Director Communications, Research Products, Europe

Elsevier

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