TUNE UP
Promoting multi-level governance for tuning up biodiversity protection in marine areasProject presentation
TUNE UP is a multi-module project tackling the need for a strategic and collaborative approach to Med MPAs management and biodiversity protection, by testing and capitalizing a multi-stakeholder/multi-level governance tool based on River/Wetland Contracts experience tested by the INTERREG MED WETNET project. TUNE UP approach is based on vertical and horizontal subsidiarity, to achieve coordination among institutions at all involved levels, as well as to integrate funding, resources and plans. Indeed, the project will ensure higher coordination among stakeholders and decision makers, limiting raising conflicts between preservation and economic issues, and will enhance the goal of biodiversity protection.Thus, the project intends to achieve the following results: 1) Stronger, coordinated and proactive involvement of key stakeholders in MPAs management; 2) Improved effectiveness of MPAs management by integrating multilevel governance tools into national and regional policy instruments; 3) More intensive transnational cooperation and networking between Med MPAs. The partnership involves different types of actors operating in MPAs management, so it will allow TUNE UP to ensure high transferability of main outputs to Med Countries.
Partnership
Lead partner
Agence de développement des autorités locales de Thessalonique oriental - Centre pour le développement des ressources humaines et le soutien de l'économie locale (Greece)
11 Partners
14 Associated partner
10 Pilot sites
8 Countries
Key messages
For managers
- Stronger, coordinated and proactive involvement of key stakeholders in MPAs management are key to long-term conservation management;
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Intensive transnational cooperation and networking between Mediterranean MPAs will improve knowledge sharing, enhancing the effectiveness of MPA management;
- Multi-stakeholder and multi-level approaches allow for the development of management plans that limit conflicts between conservation and economic issues and that will enhance the goal of biodiversity protection.
For policy
- The role played by MPAs in biodiversity conservation is fundamental, but the implementation of efficient management is still weak and incomplete;
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The effectiveness of MPA management can be improved by integrating multi-level governance tools into national and regional policy instruments;
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The incorporation of voluntary contracts into regional policy instruments and regulations for integrated MPA management may increase the effectiveness of MPA management by engaging key stakeholders.
For science
- TUNE UP’s general objective is to foster coordination and enhance the effectiveness of MPA management in the Mediterranean area, by implementing and capitalising a multi-stakeholder/multi-level governance tool based on River/Wetland Contracts experiences;
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Better coordination among scientists, stakeholders and decision makers that strengthens the Mediterranean MPAs network will improve marine and coastal biodiversity protection;
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The MPAs value is enforced by the increase of scientific knowledge regarding marine and coastal ecosystems;
- Science is fundamental to TUNE UP’s goal to share and mainstream the environmental contracts at the transnational level, strengthening synergies and cooperation among Mediterranean MPAs, while working at the local level on pilot areas by launching participatory processes in each participating country.