EUCC has been involved in the Mediterranean region for a long time, especially through its National Branches in France, Portugal, Italy, and Spain, and by taking part in international projects in this region. The start of activities at the Eastern Mediterranean and Northern African countries as well as the determination of supporting more directly the National Branches and EUCC members in the Mediterranean region were the origin of EUCC Mediterranean Centre, founded in 2003 in Barcelona, Spain.
Current projects
The EUCC Mediterranean Centre takes a new challenge in the field of air pollution from ports at the Med Programme project Common Mediterranean strategy and local practical Actions for the mitigation of Port, Industries and Cities Emissions – APICE. APICE proposes a decision-making approach & related set of mitigation measures that assume the impact of air pollution sources as driver for the coast management in port-cities. This model is based on a stronger coordination of environmental and spatial planning policies, leading to curb emissions and preserving economic potentialities of port-cities. Results will be owned by some of the main MED port-cities to move towards the attainments of the key objectives of EU Integrated Maritime Policy. EUCC will work at the pilot site of the Barcelona Port by facilitating the dialogue among the concerned stakeholders and by developing the local adaptation plan. The project started in June 2010 and will run for 30 months.
LitusGo: Training mediteranean local authorities and civil organizations on integrated coastal zone management and reaction to the impacts of climate changes. It aims at filling this training gap through the development of a well-structured, innovative, interactive, work-linked vocational training program, directly focused on Mediterranean Local Authorities and NGOs and through them to practitioners, tuned to accommodate Mediterranean particularities and needs especially in touristic coastal areas. The methodology is problem solving.
CoastLearn Black Sea (CLBS). The ICZM distance training tool “CoastLearn“, developed and led by EUCC since 2001, will receive a major boost through this project by updating existing contents, adding new modules and case studies and languages.
MARCOM+. This FP7 project had the goal of establishing a sustainable and long-lasting partnership forum (European Marine and Maritime Forum ), based on shared interests and shared leadership, and to test it on regional seas and pan-European basis. EUCC’s tasks of the project included the investigation of two main topics with regard to Europe’s regional seas: (i) Review of regional research governance frameworks for the purpose of future articulation of maritime governance at the EU level and (ii) Assessment of important mechanisms and tools for research governance.
Concluded projects
The outstanding nature site Cap des Trois Fourches in Eastern Morocco phases a great problem: land erosion. This is the main reason why EUCC took the lead of a project that would contribute to alleviate this issue, while promoting socioeconomic development. This way ABIPA C3F project (Agriculture, Biodiversité et Participation au Cap des Trois Fourches) was born, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. The main project achievement has been the restoration of 18 ha through the plantation of fruit trees (olive, almond, carob and fig trees).
The FP6 SPICOSA Project (Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment) finalised last 31st January 2011. SPICOSA aimed to create a self-evolving, operational research approach framework for the assessment of policy options for the sustainable management of coastal zone systems. The continuity of its approach is therefore inherent to the SPICOSA character. SPICOSA produced tools, information, and new knowledge that will outlast the project itself. The ultimate legacy of SPICOSA should therefore be “A community of developers and users of the Systems Approach Framework (SAF) Toolbox in support of science – policy integration based on the integrated assessment of coastal or marine systems”.
The SPICOSA Toolbox is a series of outputs which are meant to be valuable for the future SAF community and thus be continuously used, promoted, updated and upgraded as required and possible.
CONSCIENCE – Concepts and Science for Coastal Erosion Management. CONSCIENCE, a Specific Targeted Research Project supported by the EU’s Sixth Framework Programme for Research (FP6) that started in March 2007 and was completed in May 2010. The project has contributed to make operational coastal erosion concepts developed under EUROSION.
In the framework of the EU SMAP III Programe, CAP Nador has concluded successfully after three years of intensive work in the Province of Nador, Morocco. The final documents, the ICZM action plans have been presented and warmly welcomed by a wide coastal stakeholders’ audience. CAP Nador team thanks to everybody who has made possible this satisfactory project.
ACCMA – Climate Change Adaptation in Morocco. The project aimed to advance the science and technology that underpin preparations for, and responses to climate related events, and contribute to the information systems that guide policies of public protection. Its results informed the Nador ICZM Action Plan developed by the EUCC-led project CAP Nador, and support the assessment and implementation of adaptation measures in a regional context.
ALAMIM – Alexandria Lake Maryut Integrated Management. Funded by an EC programme (SMAP III) and launched in 2006, it was aimed at assisting the Alexandria Governorate to better understand the implications of the de-pollution of Lake Mariout and to establish an organization that would enable the planning and management of development and improvements in that area.
Descobreix Natura 2000 des del Mar: Els espais naturals marins i litorals catalans de la Xarxa Natura 2000 (in Catalan). EUCC MC received a grant by the Fundació Territori i Paisatge to develop the publication “Descobreix Natura 2000 des del Mar” on Catalan coastal Natura 2000 sites. Around 6000 copies have been distributed to strategic information and distribution points along the Catalan coast, inlcuding nature parks info points, tourist info offices, museums, associations and administrations.
Descobreix Natura 2000 des del Mar: Els espais naturals marins i litorals balears de la Xarxa Natura 2000 (in Catalan). After the Catalan publication on Natura 2000, the donnor granted again EUCC Mediterranean Centre to produce a similar publication for the Balearic Islands. The brochure was widely distributed througout these Mediterranean islands.
CoastLearn. A multimedia distance training package on Integrated Coastal Zone Management is an initiative of EUCC involving a large international partnership. The tool is available in more than 10 languages and includes modules on different coastal topics, such as sustainable tourism or biodiversity management.
EUROSION. EUCC Mediterranean Centre, with the financing of the Directorate General of Coasts of the Ministry of Environment, and the Interreg IIIC projects CoPraNet and Messina, disseminates and supports the results of the EUROSION study of the European Commission in Spain and the Mediterranean region.
EdUCanviClimàtic. Educational tool on climate change aimed at secondary school, in Catalan. It includes background information, exercices and interesting links. Funded by the Catalan Department of Environmentl and Housing.
Tempus TACIS EU-ECOMET 2. EUCC Mediterranean Centre contributed its experience in developing the ICM distance training course CoastLearn to the new TEMPUS TACIS project EU-COMET2 under the lead of the University of Cadiz. The project aimed to adapt the current ICZM education at the Russian State Hydrometeorological University (St. Petersburg) to the two-level (bachelor/master) system common in the European Union. Other specific objectives were the upgrading of the existing education and development of new ICZM courses and the production of CDROM based education in order to allow a wider dissemination and ensure it reaches a larger number of users.
http://eu-comet2.rshu.ru
