The GreenList4MMPAs project is supporting Marine Protected and other conserved Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean to achieve their conservation and social objectives by helping them assess their effectiveness.    

The Mediterranean Sea is considered one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots as it is home to a diversity of unique and endangered species. MPAs are a vital tool to preserve the Mediterranean´s marine ecosystems and to safeguard the livelihoods and wellbeing of the communities that depend on it. While the number of MPAs in the Mediterranean has been increasing, ensuring that these areas are effectively managed to achieve ongoing results has proven challenging. 

One of the key challenges that MPAs face is a lack of appropriate frameworks to help monitor, inform, and improve their management effectiveness and governance. The GreenList4MMPAs is contributing to tackling this challenge by exploring how to adapt the global IUCN Green List Standard to the Mediterranean´s marine context. This could provide an actionable, locally relevant and globally recognized tool to promote the effectiveness, equitability and success of the region´s MPAs.

Context

The IUCN Green List Standard provides a framework for assessing the performance of protected and conserved areas. It does so through globally consistent criteria that set the benchmark for good governance, design, planning and management, which are needed for successful conservation outcomes. A set of 50 generic indicators are employed to determine whether a protected or conserved area meets the criteria of the IUCN Green List Standard. Since protected and conserved areas are located in a diverse legal, social and ecological contexts, the application of these generic indicators can be adapted to ensure they are relevant in their specific local contexts. 

What are we doing?

The GreenList4MMPAs project will support this process by creating supporting guidelines to apply the Green List standard in the Mediterranean Marine context, as well as tailor the self-assessment IBEX tool for Med MPAs. This exercise will be informed by a review of existing national and international standards used to assess MPA effectiveness and in collaboration with MPA managers across the Mediterranean.

Context

Expert Assessment Groups for the Green List (EAGL) are at the heart of Green List implementation. EAGLs are tasked with leading the adaptation of the global Green List Standard where necessary, as well as evaluating Protected and Conserved Areas that apply to be added to the Green List. EAGLs are typically created at the country level, but can also be created across multiple countries when regions share a common context or challenge. In some cases, EAGLs can have a specific thematic focus, such as marine protection.  

What are we doing?

The GreenList4MMPAs project will support the creation and organization of an EAGL focused on Mediterranean MPAs (Med MPA EAGL). During the second half of 2024, the call for expressions of interest for EAGL membership, and updates of the process, will be shared in the News section.