Working together for the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems and biodiversity
The EU Blue Parks Community held its first online workshop on December 6, 2023.
As part of the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030", the EU Blue Parks Initiative aims at contributing to the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The Blue Parks Community, as part of the Blue Parks Initiative, is a platform that brings together EU Member States national and regional authorities, European marine networks, stakeholders, and research and innovation projects. This Community aims to help identify and address challenges, share tools, solutions and good practices, and promote innovative approaches to push forward progress in marine protection and restoration in the EU sea-basins, while enhancing cooperation in order to protect 30% and strictly protect 10% of EU sea areas by 2030. This Community is also invited to gather for physical and virtual workshops, the results of which will be the subject of regular reports and newsletters. A variety of themes will be addressed, from identification and establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs), increasing their interconnectivity, improving their effective management, governance, and financing, among other topics to be discussed.
Agenda and presentations:
1 st Session – The Mission Ocean & Waters and the EU framing policies-
14:30 Opening statements from Mission Ocean Manager ; Kęstutis Sadauskas Deputy Director General DG MARE
14:40 The Mission Ocean and Waters and the EU Blue Parks Initiative
- The Mission Ocean and Waters and its marine protection & restoration objectives ; Andreea Strachinescu-Olteanu Head of Unit DG MARE A1
- EU Blue Parks in the Horizon Europe Mission Ocean Work Programme ; Elisabetta Balzi Head of Unit DG RTD B4
14:55 Introduction to event and the Mission Ocean Implementation Support Platform ; Alberto Zocchi CINEA C.C1.2 & Gregory Fuchs, Ecologic Institute
15:05 Marine protected areas: EU policy context and objectives ; Vedran Nikolić, Team leader, Nature Conservation Unit, DG Environment
15:15 Q&A
2nd Session- Marine Protected Areas/EU Blue Parks financed projects -Current state and good practices
15:40 State of play on marine protected areas in Mission sea basins
- State of play on marine protected areas in Europe ; Elena Osipova, EEA
- State of play on marine protected areas in the Mediterranean sea basin ; Carole Martinez, MedPan
- State of play on marine protected areas in the Baltic sea basin ; Jannica Haldin, HELCOM
- State of play on marine protected areas in the Atlantic/Arctic sea basin ; Debbie Hembury, OSPAR
16:05 Q&A
16:15 Challenges and good practices from Member States and research community
- Mission Charter action “Ocean Law and Governance” ; Anne Marie O'Hagan, University College Cork
- Science-based tools for marine protected areas (BLUE4ALL) ; Steven Degraer, Institute of Natural Sciences
- Mission CSA BlueMission Banos ; Mariana Mata Lara, Sustainable projects & SUBMARINER Network
- Overview of MPA progress in metropolitan France & Major challenges to increase marine N2000 protection (LIFE MarHa) ; Alain Pibot, LIFE Marha coordinator, French Biodiversity Agency
- Restoration of MPA in the Mediterranean: the case of Egadi island ; Salvatore Livreri Console, Director of Egadi island MPA
16:55 Q&A
17:10 Way forward for EU Blue Parks Community: Event themes, audience voting & next events ; Gregory Fuchs, Ecologic Institute
Closing and take-home messages
17:20 Closing words ; John Bell Director RTD B. Healthy Planet
The agenda is available for download.
If you missed the event or would like to listen again to the presentations and discussion, please find the link below to the event recording:
- 6 December 2023, 14:30 CET - 17:30 CET
- Online