June 14, 2025
The seventh mission of the LIFE MareNatura documentary brought the focus to Athens, highlighting the scientific foundation that supports effective marine biodiversity protection in the Mediterranean.
MEDASSET’s team, accompanied by director Roberto Lo Monaco, met with Professor Stelios Katsanevakis from the University of the Aegean, a key scientific collaborator of the project. Central to their discussion was a groundbreaking Decision Support Tool developed by Katsanevakis’s research team to guide Greece’s first national marine spatial planning efforts.
This innovative tool integrates comprehensive ecological data with information on human activities, enabling policymakers to make informed and balanced decisions. A notable feature is the incorporation of climate change projections, which help identify “climate refugia” — areas where marine biodiversity is expected to persist despite shifting environmental conditions. These refugia represent promising candidates for future Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
The project’s scientific contributions extend beyond mapping threats and pinpointing high-risk zones. They emphasize the importance of including the perspectives of stakeholders and local communities, fostering a participatory approach that strengthens the long-term resilience of marine conservation strategies.
By combining prevention, collaboration, and forward-looking science, LIFE MareNatura lays the groundwork for a strategic and adaptable framework of marine protection in the Mediterranean.
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