Interreg Euro-MED - GreenList4MMPAs
The Interreg Euro-MED Green List for Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas project (GreenList4MMPAs) aims to strengthen the fair and effective conservation of the Mediterranean’s rich marine life. The project started in January 2024, and is exploring how to apply the IUCN Green List Standard, a global benchmark for protected area management quality, to the Mediterranean´s unique context. By helping Marine Protected Areas assess and improve their quality, the project will promote successful conservation that brings real value to the Mediterranean´s nature and people.
Focus
Our focus is to enhance the effectiveness of protected and conserved areas in the Mediterranean Sea. Over 1,200 Marine Protected and conserved Areas (MPAs) have been established in the Mediterranean, covering around 9% of its surface. However, putting aside an area for conservation does not automatically lead to positive outcomes for nature. The ability of MPAs to successfully achieve their biodiversity and socio-economic goals depends on their effective management. Despite this, only around 10% of MPAs in the Mediterranean have fully implemented management plans in place.
Improving the management of MPAs is central to ensuring the Mediterranean´s marine environment is successfully protected, in line with the global target to effectively and equitably conserve at least 30% of marine areas by 2030.
The Green List
The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas Programme (Green List) is a global Programme launched in 2014 to recognise and promote successful protected and conserved areas around the world. The Green List´s main objective is to encourage protected and conserved areas to measure, improve and maintain their performance.
At the heart of the Green List is the Green List Standard, which defines the different criteria that protected and conserved areas must meet to achieve ´Green Status´ and demonstrate they are delivering fair and effective results for nature and people. The Green List Standard consists of 17 criteria, supported by 50 generic indicators, to assess good governance, sound design and planning, effective management, and successful conservation outcomes. The indicators can be adapted to specific local needs, making the Standard globally consistent and locally relevant.
Key
