Biodiversity Mainstreaming in Maritime Spatial Planning

Activity 4 of the National Biodiversity Future Centre - Develop a biodiversity-oriented planning of human uses of the sea: the EU Directive 2014/89 establishes a framework for Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) representing the tool to manage the use of seas and oceans coherently and ensure that human activities take place in an efficient, safe, and sustainable way, also considering biodiversity protection. It appears crucial to address and develop the MSP of Italian waters in the Mediterranean context, differentiating and strengthening the protection of biodiversity of marine ecosystems and the sustainability of the uses of the sea, through the application of socio-ecological and transdisciplinary approaches, integrating marine/maritime sciences, ecosystem services, social sciences, and economic sciences. Therefore, activities will be oriented to create a reliable infrastructure of knowledge and integrated services about MSP, biodiversity, and sustainable blue economy, and to developing approaches and technical solutions enabling integration of observations, data, models, and support tools) in the planning, monitoring, and management of the marine environment.

Under the National Centre Node 2 ‘Solutions to manage marine biodiversity loss and manage marine resources sustainably’, the Activity 4 ‘Biodiversity mainstreaming in Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP4BIODIVERSITY)’ aims to support a sustainable and sustainability development of the marine economy through Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). The project developed tools and proposals to strengthen the biodiversity dimension in Italian Maritime Spatial Plans in relation to the management of anthropogenic pressures and to the extension of the network of protected areas. This includes studies, tools, trainings and communication activities.

Project partners : 

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR)

Università degli Studi di Genova (UNIGE)

Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM)

Fondazione Centro Internazionale in Monitoraggio Ambientale (Fondazione CIMA)

Università di Bologna (UNIBO)

Consorzio per il Coordinamento delle Ricerche Inerenti al Sistema Lagunare di Venezia (CORILA)

Centro di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (COGS)

Fondazione Istituto per l’Ambiente Marino Costiero (FOND. IMC)

Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)

Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)

Università degli Studi di Siena (UNISI)

Università del Salento (UNISALENTO)

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn di Napoli (SZN)