Perseus

Promote coordinated research efforts in order to characterise patterns of pressure in environmental and socio-economic terms on the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and to develop a framework for future implementation of adaptive policies and management schemes to achieve or maintain good environmental status.

Research in support of the Ecosystem Approach

Plan Bleu has significant responsibilities in the research project FP7 PERSEUS (2012-2015) which aims to foster international cooperation on the principles of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive:

Leader of the task “Socioeconomic Analysis of pressures on coastal areas and open waters,” which support the Plan Bleu activity on the economic and social analysis planned in the MAP Ecosystem Approach implementation;
Leader of the task “Relations with stakeholders” needed to develop policies and measures in the context of the Ecosystem Approach;
Leader of the Work Package “Adaptive policies and scenarios”. Adaptive policies are designed to be robust to changes and are recommended in case of high uncertainty, as is the case in the context of marine ecosystems changes still poorly predictable. This research will help to prepare for the final step of the Ecosystem Approach process.

Achieved results

Under the aegis of DG Environment of the European Union, links have been forged between the MAP initiative on the Ecosystem Approach and PERSEUS, through Plan Bleu and the involvement of the MAP Coordinating Unit to Project Advisory Board.

Strengthening the MAP Ecosystem Approach, results will soon be posted on the project website. They relate in particular to the state of the play needed prior policy development: inventory of existing measures and environmental policies, catalogs of possible measures to achieve good environmental status, scenarios across the Mediterranean, database for economic evaluation of policies …