Page 28 - restitution_book_MOW2023_EN

26 | OCEAN GOVERNANCE

THE EUROPEAN UNION
The progress of the ocean

governance project

The European project took an active part in Monaco Ocean Week 2023,
with two events devoted to the management of marine protected areas

and the new Global Alliance for the Protection of the Marine Environment.

How can we help managers of marine protected THE PILLARS OF THE PROJECT
areas (MPAs) to establish partnerships throughout
the world? This theme underpinned the event orga- Purificacio Canals, coordinator of the project and pre-
nised by the European Union's Ocean Governance sident of the Mediterranean Marine Protected Area
Project. During the morning session on 22 March, Network (MedPAN) deemed 2022 a year of great pro-
the speakers revisited the four major components of gress for the ocean governance project. Marie Roma-
the project, which is characterised by its cooperative ni, Executive Secretary of MedPAN and partner in the
approach and its scope, embracing multiple levels of MPA twinning project spoke about the origins of this
governance. European-funded project, which is a continuation of
the transatlantic network of marine protected areas.

Strengthening links between more than 20 countries,
from the Atlantic to the Coral Triangle, and creating
PROFILE global alliances so that the best decisions can have
a significant impact on our shared ocean, are the
The Ocean Governance Project, funded key objectives of this project. These goals make the
by the European Union, is based on 4 European Union a major force in international ocean
interconnected pillars covering different governance. Cooperation is at the heart of this initia-
levels of governance (from local to tive, as Purificacio Canals points out: "The aim is to
global): restoration of coral reefs and encourage regional and international cooperation in
mangroves, support for cross-border the protection and restoration of marine and coastal
cooperation in the Coral Triangle, ecosystems. Although each is unique, their managers
exchanges of experience between face similar challenges. By working together, we can
South-East Asia and the Atlantic, and help to improve the management of the world's major
the establishment of networks and marine areas, whether it's restoring coral reefs and
communities of practice among marine mangroves, protecting vulnerable animals or working
protected area professionals. with coastal communities."