Engaging Mediterranean key actors in Ecosystem Approach to manage Marine Protected Areas to face Climate change

The Mediterranean is being and will be heavily impacted by Climate Change (CC). There is a global (CBD), EU (Directive on Birds/Habitats) and Med (UNEP/MAP, MAPII, MSSD; Barcelona Convention) consensus to strengthen Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as key tools to prevent further biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem.Although the EU policy, MSP and MSFD, provides the framework to address CC effects, their current implementation is essentially missing. Likewise, most MPAs lack of specific adaptation plans to CC.The overall objective of MPA-ENGAGE is to promote the role of MPAs as nature-based solutions for the implementation of EcAp to CC adaptation: The QUINTUPLE HELIX (MPAs, socio-eco actors, local/regional authorities, scientists and citizens) from 8 countries will cooperate towards adapting the management of 7 Med MPAs to CC impacts. The engagement, for the first time, of citizen scientists (recreational divers) and small-scale fishery actors will be essential.The operational know-how will be capitalized and transmitted (by Trainings, Twinning &Data Sharing) to key coastal actors to develop an extremely robust and resilient strategy for success.Lastly, MPA-ENGAGE will promote a Med Policy Dialogue among an assembly of associates (scientists, MPAs, & Networks/regions). The unambiguous support to MPA-ENGAGE by organisations such as MEDPAN, RAC-SPA, UNEP/MAP, FAO; GFCM, CPMR-ICM, WWF and UfM well demonstrates the compliance with wider EU & Med strategies and policies.
1 Improved monitoring and management of MPAs to CC to build a Med MPA sentinel network for CC : MPA managers will be trained to assess the vulnerability of protected areas, implement monitoring protocols and to develop adaptation actions to CC. The adaptation plans will result from the analysis based on regional and, when possible, local climate scenarios. CC impacts on local ecosystems will be assessed and MPAs will be enhanced by actions targeting both, local ecosystems, including native endangered. Activities will also focus on building capacity and raising awareness of different local stakeholders, the general public and project partners in order to take the maximum advantage of the tools, approaches and methods that will be prepared and tested. The final aim is to improve the effectiveness of management plans of MPAs to enhance MPAs role as main pillars for coastal resilience face to CC.1 Improved monitoring and management of MPAs to CC to build a Med MPA sentinel network for CC : MPA managers will be trained to assess the vulnerability of protected areas, implement monitoring protocols and to develop adaptation actions to CC. The adaptation plans will result from the analysis based on regional and, when possible, local climate scenarios. CC impacts on local ecosystems will be assessed and MPAs will be enhanced by actions targeting both, local ecosystems, including native endangered. Activities will also focus on building capacity and raising awareness of different local stakeholders, the general public and project partners in order to take the maximum advantage of the tools, approaches and methods that will be prepared and tested. The final aim is to improve the effectiveness of management plans of MPAs to enhance MPAs role as main pillars for coastal resilience face to CC.2 Adoption of management plans to face CC in MPAs : This process will involve action learning, where concepts are tested out on the ground, refined and improved to develop good practice. Through this, MPAs will be able to measure progress towards achieving conservation objectives incorporating climate change into a more effective management, thus enhancing their performance and effectiveness. Furthermore, demonstrating success in adaptation planning though these pilots MPAs may be the necessary precursor to larger scale adaptation investments at network level and the preparation of common tools and protocols of the project will allow to facilitate this process.3 Strengthened networking of MPAs through supporting more intensive cooperation between competent public authorities and key stakeholdersStrengthened ne : The project will enable development of a framework to ensure MPAs are integrated as part of the national climate change response strategy, recognising their benefits through better management and integrating them with their surrounding coastal and seascape. Exchange workshops, trainings and seminars on risks, challenges and adaptation solutions, with the participation of different local administrations and stakeholders’ groups like fishermen (professional and recreational) and touristic sector through recreational divers will be carried out during the project in order to encourage a more integrated and co-management approach on coastal and marine planning and communicating the benefits of MPAs. Integrating climate considerations into implementation works at the local scale in the MPAs and surrounding areas will help to achieve more resilient existing Mediterranean protected areas and to federate them into consolidated networks (e.g. MEDPAN). The cooperation between MPAs will also include twining programmes between partnering MPAs and other MPAs participating in other projects, in one side, but also between other experienced MPAs (having participated in other initiatives, for instance, MPA-Adapt, Coconet, ADRIPLAN, AMAre, FishMPABlue2O…). . The adopted tools and strategies will also link MPAs with the needs of GFCM mid-term strategy (2017–2020), mitigating negative interactions between CC and local fishery, towards a durable and more sustainable development.4 Raise awareness of the role of MPAs as nature based solutions for enhancing resilience to CC and Biodiversity conservation : Increased awareness of the role of effectively managed Mediterranean MPAs as nature-based solutions among different sectors including local communities and decision-makers. This will enhance understanding of their importance to reduce vulnerability to natural and extreme climate events, the opportunities and their management respond´s needs to be effective. Moreover, it will emphasize their key role to support adaptation and mitigation contributing to wider policies and strategies.D.8. Joint Vulnerability assesment Plans :2.
D.8. Joint Monitoring Plan in the MPAs :1.
D.8. Joint Citizen Science involvement plan in the MPAs :1.
D.8. Joint Participatory Approach in the MPAs :1.
Joint Adaptation Plan to Climate Change :1
D. Local Governance and adapation plan to CC :7.
Number of partnering Marine Protected Areas :7,Surface of partnering Protected areas (Ha) :105384, Budget spent to enhance nature conservation and protection in the Mediterranean :3049783, Number of associated Marine Protected Areas :7, Surface of associated Protected areas (Ha) :187677.