MPA Engage

Project description MPA Engage

Prima conferenza dedicata alla capitalizzazione del progetto MPA Engage, Le Aree Marine Protette (AMPs) mediterranee uniscono le forze per mitigare gli effetti ed adattarsi al cambio climatico.
Press Release

MPA Engage: Engaging Mediterranean key actors in Ecosystem Approach to manage Marine Protected Areas to face Climate Change
Grant number: 5216 | 5MED18_3.2_M23_007
85% co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Rationale
Climate change is rapidly altering the Mediterranean Sea ecosystems, which is warming at a rate 20% faster than the world’s average. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are the front line and can effectively document climate change effects. Several Mediterranean MPAs are already facing major biodiversity and functional alterations due to climate change, whereas others will likely face them in the next few decades. There is, therefore, an urgency to mitigate these risks and consider adaptation options in partnership with local communities; decision-makers at local, national, and regional level; civil society, civil society organizations; research bodies and other socio-economic actors. 

MPA Engage, led by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the Spanish National Research Council, has the main goal to put Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas in the frontline for adaptation to Climate Change. To do this, the project will support Mediterranean MPAs to adapt to and mitigate the ongoing climate change effects in the Mediterranean Sea. Through a series of monitoring protocols tailored for MPAs and divers as volunteers, the project will monitor the climate change impacts, will elaborate vulnerability assessments and will develop climate change adaptation action plans in 7 Marine Protected Areas located in 6 Mediterranean countries, namely Albania, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain.

Main lines of action:

  • Engaging local communities, small-scale fishermen, divers and citizen scientists in monitoring climate change impacts

  • Promoting MPAs as nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation
  • Facilitating a Mediterranean policy dialogue with scientists, MPA managers, decision-makers, environmental NGOs and socio-economic stakeholders on climate change adaptation strategies.

DISVA activities: Coordination of Citizen Science activities focused on climate change assessment

Project slogan: Act Local, Think Mediterranean

Main outcome: the project will provide a framework for guiding long-term regional adaptation and mitigation actions on climate change.

More on MPA Engage at project website: https://mpa-engage.interreg-med.eu/

Follow MPA Engage project at @mpaengage on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook