The Mediterranean Sea is considered a focal point for climate change. The impact of climate change combines with environmental interactions related to human activities (e.g., overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution). As a result, Mediterranean marine ecosystems and human livelihoods are affected. To help reverse this serious trend of degradation, MPA4Change seeks to enhance the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and restoration actions such as Nature-Based Solutions for climate change adaptation by implementing a multi-level approach, ranging from local MPA actions to Mediterranean strategies, to ensure their sustainability and long-term capacity.
Per fare ciò, MPA4Change lavorerà su 3 assi principali:To achieve this, MPA4Change will work on three main axes:
1) Promoting and refining established tools for risk assessment, monitoring, data sharing, restoration, citizen science, participatory approaches, and the definition of adaptation action plans and communication.
2) Supporting political dialogue and coordinating with EU, Mediterranean, and global strategies for Integrated Coastal Zone Management/Maritime Spatial Planning (ICZM/MSP) (e.g., FAO/GFCM, UNEP/MPA, RAC/SPA, UfM).
3) Developing a roster of experts to fully operationalize the implementation of policies and tools ensuring long-term sustainability and capacity for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The ultimate goal of MPA4Change is to enhance the resilience of Mediterranean coastal areas to support positive environmental status and the sustainable use of marine ecosystems. Perfectly aligned with the specific objective 2.4 of Interreg Euro-MED, MPA4Change will increase adaptation capacity to climate change through:
i) enhancing the effectiveness of MPAs and restoration,
ii) improving stakeholder coordination and cooperation across borders to address these issues, and
iii) strengthening awareness and environmental culture regarding climate change.
Project partners:
Spanish Research Council
Consortium of management of Portofino Marine Protected Area
Public Institution Brijuni National Park
University of Vigo
DAN Europe Foundation
National Research Council
Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe (EUROPARC Federation)
University of Algarve
AP Marine Environmental Consultancy Ltd
Associated partners:
MedPAN – Mediterranean Protected Areas Network
CESAM – Centro di Studi Ambientali e Marini – Università di Aveiro
Public Institution Lokrum Reserve
Public Institution Nature of Šibenik – Knin County
Public Institution Nature Jadera
SPA/RAC – Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas
County Administrative Board of Scania
PADI EMEA LTD
Faculty of Sciences – Mohammed V University of Rabat
Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia
Biodiversity Foundation
Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Marine-Terrestrial Park
SZN – Anton Dohrn Zoological Station
ISPRA – Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research
AIR Centre – Atlantic International Research Centre
Support the transferability of ARIEL project results toward open innovation for small scale fisheries (SSF) and aquaculture sectors in the Adriatic-Ionian area.
Provide the Regional Administration and operators in the sector with technical-scientific information for a rational and sustainable management of clam fishing with hydraulic dredges.
Understanding the transmission pathways and fate of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms in aquaculture, including contamination from the environment.
The research activities of the Institute are carried out in the context of research, development and innovation projects, both national and international, based on regional funding programs (POR FEAMPA - Regional Operational Program of the European Maritime Affairs Fisheries Fund and Aquaculture and POR FESR - Regional Operational Program of the European Regional Development Fund) or ministerial (PRIN - Projects of relevant national interest, PNRA - National Research Program in Antarctica, PO FEAMPA - National Operational Program European Maritime Affairs Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund) , programs for European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg), direct funding programs of the European Commission (Horizon2020 and Horizon Europe, Life, JPI - Joint Programming Initiatives, ERA-NET Cofund) and thematic collaboration initiatives managed by international organizations such as, for example , the FAO - GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean). The Institute also develops funded projects in the context of collaborations with private companies in the sectors of the blue economy as well as technology transfer and research results. Research projects, mainly of a collaborative nature, are developed through a wide network of partners that include major Italian and foreign research institutions and universities.