Urban Coastal Ecosystem Restoration in the Mediterranean Sea. Resilience of urban marine ecosystems, a dialogue between two decades

The UN Ocean Decade 2021-2030 fosters synergies through research community, decision-makers, private sector and civil society towards effective solutions facing the urgent crisis enhancing innovation, dialogue and public awareness on marine ecosystems focusing on the environment and human health.

As part of this scenario, the coastal cities of Barcelona (ES), Ancona (IT) and Mersin (TR) organised Mediterranean roundtables across the three coastal cities to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences among stakeholders on the restoration urban coastal ecosystems as a contribution to achieving the SDGs by 2030 maintaining the sustainability and well-being of cities. The multi-stakeholders discussion promoted sustainable development in its three dimensions—economic, social, and ecological—to provide tools to face climate change, end poverty, and build peaceful societies respecting human rights. The three local administrations with the support of the Institut de Ciències del Mar CISC, the Polytechnic University of Marche, MedCities and the Middle East Technical University (METU) Institute of Marine Sciences, have created an open hub on the quintuple helix in urban coastal areas.

In the framework round table called Innovative initiatives for integrated coastal managementrepresentatives of the three cities have presented the following recommendations for urban coastal ecosystems restoration activities in the Mediterranean area at the Ocean Decade Conference 2024(Barcelona). The workshops in the Mediterranean region were developed as part of the Justice axis of OC-NET with the direct participation of the above quoted Mediterranean members. Support was provided by the EU project ANERIS, which included the promotion of citizen participation through the engagement of communities of practice. The Spanish government provided funding through the accreditation of the 'Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence' (CEX2019-000928-S)