Institutional Dialogue Project of the Interreg Euro-MED Natural Heritage Mission

Mediterranean society is dependent on natural resources, being densely populated and one of the world’s most visited areas. The basin is a biodiversity hotspot hosting 18% of the world’s marine biodiversity with high levels of endemism. It is also a climate hotspot. Chronic climate change is heating the Mediterranean Sea three times faster than the global mean, with changes to biodiversity, habitats, migration of endemic species and invasion of non-indigenous species. Intensifying acute extreme events result in storm surges, heat waves, floods, and droughts. The current decline of biodiversity is unsustainable, loss must be halted, and society must learn to adapt and mitigate climate change.

The governance of the Mediterranean is fragmented. Many regional challenges are poorly identified and addressed through ad hoc policy measures at local, regional, or national level. This project will take best practices from the associated thematic projects and upscale to Mediterranean and EU policy level, engaging with decision makers and relevant authorities at the science-policy interface. In addition, through the global networks of the partners results will be showcased at the international level.

Inspired by successful policy initiatives such as the Stockholm resilience centre and the Iberoamerican network of climate change, the Dialogue4Nature project will establish a Mediterranean Resilience Network (MRN). This network will coordinate cooperation at the broader Mediterranean scale on climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable development policies. Dialogue4Nature project will foster cooperation and to promote a more participatory and integrated policy process for climate change and biodiversity, including sub-national and civil society. In this manner, natural capital will be mainstreamed into social and environmental policy, not only helping to protect the environment but also to improve people’s health and well-being and to ensure a more resilient socio-economic model.