Coastal governance good practices database

The Mediterranean Sea is acknowledged as one of the priority eco-regions. While it contains major biodiversity hotspots it also faces a wide array of pressures (e.g. population growth, urbanisation, tourism exploitation, overfishing, pollution, shipping traffic, non-native species) that are causing loss and fragmentation of Mediterranean marine and coastal habitats. Good governance is key to reverse these trends and minimise the pressures. The Interreg MED TUNE UP project is promoting multilevel governance for tuning up biodiversity protection in marine areas sharing good practices and lessons learnt through the COASTINGWIKI.

Aim of the tool

The COASTINGWIKI is an online database gathering good practices and experiences of governance in the Mediterranean. This tool is an interactive source of information on coastal governance aiming at sharing good practices and lessons learnt for policymakers, practitioners and researchers of coastal governance.

Main objectives

The final objectives of the COASTINGWIKI are to:

• Promote the good practices of governance in the Mediterranean to improve governance in the Mediterranean with a bottom-up approach.
• Foster the dissemination of the Environmental Contract in Marine protected areas, showing case studies.
• Engage key stakeholders in the formulation of a local MoU

Technological infrastructure

No specific technological infrastructure is needed for the implementation of this tool. Only a PC and an internet connection are required to have access.

Training

No particular training is required.

Investment

No particular investment is needed to have access to the database.

Concept

The database builds on good practices and lessons learnt about governance from two different projects: COASTING and TUNE UP. The aim of the database is to share knowledge across the Mediterranean. All the pilot sites of the TUNE UP project have included their experiences to develop a voluntary Contract as a key tool of a bottom- up approach to improve governance. The pilot sites have developed a preliminary definition of the territorial area to be considered, including its legal and regulatory framework, a stakeholder map, questionnaires and finally a Memorandum of Understanding, which is presented as the final result in the good practices that are included in the database.

Pilot areas

Amvrakikos Gulf (Greece), Cabo de Gata –Níjar Natural Park (Spain), Kotor – Risan Bay (Montenegro), L’Albufera (Spain), Sazan – Karaburun (Albania), Sečovlje Salina Landscape Park (Slovenia), Sinis Peninsula – Mal di Ventre Island (Italy), The former saltworks of Camargue (France), Thermaikos Gulf – Axios delta (Greece), Ventotene and Santo Stefano Islands (Italy).

Implementation Dates

The database is already available. It offers the possibility to submit other good practices or lessons learnt but a registration is needed before validation.

Some difficulties may arise for external agents trying to add a good practice if they have not previously gathered all the information requested, especially due to the fact that some parts of the questionnaire cannot be avoided. Also, information requested is mainly focused on good practices that could be or were beneficial for the COASTING project experience, and it can be difficult for external entities to accommodate information of new good practices to such a structure.

Quantitative results

The outcomes of the TUNE UP project include delivering political recommendations for MPA governance for the Mediterranean area and to capitalise on the results of the implementation of the Environmental Contract in 10 pilot sites. Ten examples of good practices from the pilot sites will be added to the database. The Environmental Contract includes as quantitative results, the number of stakeholders targeted and involved in the process, the people reached and impacted during the territorial labs, as well as the total area of the MPA involved and impacted.

Key deliverables

The key deliverable is the COASTINGWIKI database available here. The database invites submissions of good practices to be integrated in the database.

Transfer potential

The COASTINGWIKI can be used by anyone, from policy makers and governance managers for adoption in other coastal areas. It also offers the possibility to submit other good practices or lessons learnt to be added to the database.

• The COASTINGWIKI has been developed in the context of the COASTING project, and has been updated with the good practices from the TUNE UP project.

• All Mediterranean stakeholders have a key role to play in the MPA governance process to ensure efficient and long-term MPA management.

• MPAs are impacted by numerous activities (fishing, tourism, agriculture, etc) and the active participation of local stakeholders have a key role in contributing to the improvement of MPA management.