A growing perception of the crucial role of marine and coastal ecosystems in the supply of goods and services that contribute to present and future human wellbeing and a recognition of the impact of human activities on these ecosystems have inspired the fight to protect them. The social and economic analysis of ecosystem services and the impacts of uses reinforce this awareness and encourage the development of policies that contribute to the protection of the environment and sustainable development.
This is the background behind Plan Bleu’s development of a programme of activities focussed on an economic approach to marine and coastal ecosystems in support of the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to activity management by the Mediterranean Action Plan. Plan Bleu has also developed this type of analysis for other sensitive fields such as Mediterranean forests and wetlands.