ECOV4R Framework: Assessing and valuing ecosystem services in railway infrastructure

Ecosystem Valuation for Railways (ECOV4R) is a practical, scalable Framework designed to support railway infrastructure managers, asset managers, and policymakers quantify, value, and integrate ecosystem services into rail infrastructure decision-making. Developed for the International Union of Railways (UIC), ECOV4R enables the rail sector to:

• Bridge the gap between Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and business case development by providing robust, auditable evidence of both positive and negative impacts.
• Demonstrate and monetise the societal and financial value of ecosystem services (e.g. flood mitigation, carbon sequestration, biodiversity).
• Enhance climate resilience and operational reliability by leveraging nature-based solutions (NbS).
• Support compliance and leadership in sustainability, biodiversity net gain, and climate adaptation.

The Framework is applicable across project lifecycles – from planning and construction to operation, enhancement, and evaluation. It is applicable on both a local and landscape level and is adaptable to a range of ecological and operational contexts.