On 18 January 2022, the “Mediterranean Wetlands and MPAs Governance experiences from TUNE UP and the MBPC – capitalizing best practices and building a stronger network” regional workshop took place. It was organised by the MEDSEA Foundation and MedWet, representing the Interreg Med-funded TUNE UP project, with the support of the Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community (MBPC), in the framework of its Working Group 3 on Integrated ecosystem monitoring and management, and several MBPC partners including Plan Bleu, ETC-UMA and the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism of Montenegro.
Attended by 80 participants, the workshop delved into the governance approaches developed by different MBPC projects funded by the Interreg Med Programme, with a focus on their capitalization and networking activities. Indeed, it sought to foster more effective governance mechanisms in Mediterranean wetlands and Marine Protected Areas, in order to empower environmentally-aware local communities and to improve governance processes. In addition to TUNE UP, several other Interreg MED MBPC projects also shared their experiences, including the MBPC’s MPA Engage,MPA Networks,POSBEMED 2, AMARE+ andFISHMPABLUE2.
Overall, the pressing need to enhance networking between Mediterranean MPAs was stressed. Indeed, enhanced networking can allow MPAs to become “sentinels” of ongoing processes and changes in the Mediterranean due to climate change, for instance. Better networking can increase MPA managers’ and stakeholders’ capacities while revealing new MPA funding opportunities. Finally, better networking can allow MPAs to share MPA monitoring and management protocols, which are cornerstones of effective governance.
For more information about the TUNE UP project, watch a short explanatoryvideo here.
You can also learn more about TUNE UP’s Environmental Contract Methodology here.
