Published October 14, 2025
| Version v1
Report
Open
An Ocean of Collaboration: The European Marine Restoration Working Group
Authors/Creators
- 1. European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration
- 2. Università Politecnica delle Marche
-
3.
SINTEF Ocean
Description
This Long-Term Networking Strategy outlines the need for and provides a structured framework to guide the Marine Restoration Working Group (MRWG) in advancing marine ecosystem restoration during its first five years. Developed in response to key policy developments, including the Nature Restoration Regulation, the strategy identifies actions to build capacity, ensure feasibility, and strengthen mechanisms for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the dissemination of best practices. By positioning the MRWG within a broader “network of networks” both in Europe—under the oversight of the European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER-Europe)—and globally under the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), the strategy supports stronger regional and global alignment. In doing so, it aims to accelerate marine restoration outcomes and contribute to the long-term goal of healthy, resilient marine ecosystems in line with the UN Ocean Decade 2030.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No.101093865.
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An Ocean of Collaboration - The European Marine Restoration Working Group.pdf
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Additional details
Funding
References
- European Commission. 2020. EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives. [Policy document]. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0380
- European Commission. 2023. Action Plan: Protecting and Restoring Marine Ecosystems for Sustainable and Resilient Fisheries. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Adopted 21 February 2023. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/
- European Parliament and Council. 2008. Directive 2008/56/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive). Official Journal of the European Union L 164 (25 June 2008): 19. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/56/oj
- European Commission. n.d. Mission Lighthouses. In: Horizon Europe – EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters" (Research & Innovation). Retrieved September 5, 2025, from https://projects.research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/en/funding/.../mission-lighthouses
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- European Parliament and Council. 2024. Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869. Official Journal of the European Union L 1991 (29 July 2024): [page]. In force 18 August 2024. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1991/oj/eng
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- Gann, G.D., McDonald, T., Walder, B., Aronson, J., Nelson, C.R., Jonson, J., Hallett, J.G., Eisenberg, C., Gua- riguata, M.R., Liu, J., Hua, F., Echeverría, C., Gonzales, E., Shaw, N., Decleer, K., & Dixon, K.W. 2019. International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration, 2nd ed. Summary. Washington, DC: Society for Ecological Restoration. Available at: https://www.ser.org/page/SERStandards
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- United Nations. 2023. Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction ("BBNJ Agreement" / "High Seas Treaty"). Finalized 4 March 2023; adopted 19 June 2023 in New York; open for signature starting 20 September 2023. Available at: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&m-tdsg_no=XXI-10&chapter=21&clang=_en#EndDec
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Union for Conservation of Nature's Commission on Ecosystem Management (IUCN CEM), & Society for Ecological Restoration (SER). 2021. Principles for Ecosystem Restoration to Guide the United Nations Decade 2021–2030. Guidelines. UNEP; FAO. Available at: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/publications/principles-ecosystem-restoration-guide-united-nations-decade-2021-2030