On May 15th and 16th, at the Plan Bleu headquarters in Marseille, the first in-person meeting of the ARTEMIS project was held since the kickoff in March. ARTEMIS is a project within the Interreg Euro-MED Programme under the Interreg Euro-MED Natural Heritage. It is dedicated to accelerating the restoration of Posidonia seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean. The aim is to weave the social and financial benefits of the ecosystem services provided by Posidonia meadows into relevant public and private policies, promoting substantial environmental and economic impacts throughout the region.
This event was extremely fruitful, offering the opportunity to explore potential synergies with other networks, particularly with the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) and WWF France. During the discussions over the two days, we focused on aligning the concepts of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and exploring financial mechanisms that effectively value these services. A key question we addressed was: which are the most valuable ecosystem services for each pilot site?
In addition to the lead partner Plan Bleu and MEDSEA, the project includes participation from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, ISPRA, ECOACSA, Reserva de Biodiversidad, IME OBSAM Observatori Socioambiental de Menorca, EY Denkstatt Bulgaria, Bax, The Green Tank, and the Municipality of Monfalcone.
Exchange of Views Among Pilot Sites
On the second day of the ARTEMIS project meeting in Marseille, the pilot sites shared their views on the objectives to be achieved, expectations, and challenges to be faced.
The four pilot sites of the ARTEMIS project are:
- ?? Crete - Led by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
- ?? Menorca - Led by the Institut Menorquí d'Estudis (IME) Obsam
- ?? Sardinia - Led by the MEDSEA / Mediterranean Sea and Coast Foundation
- ?? Monfalcone - Led by the Municipality of Monfalcone
Each of these sites was chosen for their unique ecosystems and the potential impact our project can have on their conservation and restoration.
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