Var “Land Sea Forum” – Towards the future of the coast and sea

The first "Land Sea Forum” of the Var County was organised in the framework of the CAMP France (PAC Var) project on March 31, 2016 in Grimaud, France. The Forum was conceived as a place of a dialogue and sharing knowledge and information among the actors of the Var County’s coast and marine areas. The aim of the event was to promote the emergence of a shared common destiny around the future of the coastal zones. The Forum was attended by 150-odd participants representing a large panel of actors, from different national, regional and local authorities, international organisations, research institutions, professional associations, the private sector, tourism and fisheries sectors, NGOs, etc.

The Forum was officially opened by welcome speeches by Mr. Benedetto, Mayor of Grimaud, representative of the Var County and the host of the event, Ms. Škarièiæ, PAP/RAC Director and Mr. Sticker, French Ambassador for the Environment. Following different presentations delivered, among others, by project co-ordinators a vivid discussion was developed on the topic of adapting coastal economy to global changes. Thereafter, two round tables took place, both moderated by Mr. Bernard, President of the Steering Committee of the PAC Var project: How to rationalise uses on a limited space to better preserve the richness and identity of a territory? and How to adapt the coastal economy to global risks? The morning session was closed by Ms. Le Dissez, President of the Conservatoire's Directory Board and the presentation of the exposition "The coast seen from the sea".

In the afternoon, two public workshops were held in parallel, on the model of an open forum: How to strengthen the "coast and sea" community in the Var? and How to bridge the gap between knowledge and decision making? Following the discussions, the two working groups gathered in the main conference room to share their conclusions.

The Forum was closed by the French Ambassador for the Environment who wrapped-up the topics covered by the Forum encouraging the actors to strengthen their efforts to co-construct a common project for the future of their coasts and marine zones.