Final conference of the MSP pilot project supported by PAP/RAC

After one year of intense activity, the small pilot project on Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in the Mediterranean, implemented by the University of Thessaly in Greece with the support of PAP/RAC, has reached its end. Even in such a short time and with very limited resources, the project has largely contributed to “Paving the road to MSP in the Mediterranean” as its own title says. The findings of the project were presented and discussed at its final conference held in Athens on 30 November 2015, with the participation of the representatives of all relevant Greek ministries, local authorities and stakeholders from the Ionian islands included in the project, as well as the representatives of UNEP/MAP and PAP/RAC and another Mediterranean countries particularly interested in the subject matter.

Based on an interactive work with national and local stakeholders and several exchanges with the PAP/RAC NFPs in other Mediterranean countries, the project succeeded to propose a way forward in the Region with regard to the MSP implementation, i.e. the most appropriate methodological tools, possible co-operation/management schemes, prerequisites and possible ways of dealing with the MSP challenges, keeping in mind the needs and specificities (natural, social, economic and institutional) of the Mediterranean countries at national and regional levels. The Final Report of the project including some concrete recommendations will be made available very soon at the PAP/RAC web site.