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During the two-day meeting, the draft integrated Assessment Report of the Mediterranean Sea prepared by the UNEP/MAP secretariat was presented (click here to read the draft Assessment Report). The Assessment Report, which is being developed as part of the 3rd step of the Ecosystem Approach: “Identification of important ecosystem properties and assessment of ecological status and pressures” addresses the specific features, common issues, values, impacts, drivers, threats, gaps and needs for the sub-regions and the whole Mediterranean, including the urgent actions required. The report is expected to be finalized by the regional expert meeting scheduled for May 2011, which will submit it to the MAP Focal Points Meeting.
Another important issue on the meeting’s agenda was the definition of methodologies to be used for the development of the ecological objectives (EOs) corresponding to the vision and the strategic goals of the Ecosystem Approach (step 4 of the Ecosystem Approach process). It was agreed by the experts to use the 11 EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) descriptors as the basis for developing the Mediterranean ecological objectives, taking also into account the issues emerging from the finalized integrated Assessment Report and socio economic considerations.
Please find below the meeting’s conclusions: [attachments template=small-with-title include=”1942″]
To read the conclusions of the 1st Meeting of Technical Experts on the Ecosystem Approach by UNEP/MAP, Rome, 7-8 April 2010, click here.
For more info on the meeting contact Ms. Thomais Vlachogianni (vlachogianni@mio-ecsde.org)