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50 | THE BLUE ECONOMY AND FINANCE

How has the current pandemic affected
Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPA)?
In some places, there was less pressure: the ocean
did not need to deal with tourism, there was less fi-
shing and business. However, some marine protec-
ted areas have experienced more significant local
Christian Severin pressure, as the population had fewer food supplies
Coordinator from the GEF’s International Waters and needed to fish more often. If we do nothing, the
Department, leading the “Build back a blue and pandemic could undermine decades of conserva-
stronger Mediterranean” project. tion efforts.
How can we move beyond the protection/eco-
As the lead of this ambitious project, how do nomic development differences within MPAs?
you see the next few years? For many years, 21 countries have shared the
We are just at the start of this adventure. The real abundance of resources offered by the Mediter-
work starts now, and I’m very excited! The amount ranean ecosystem. But these resources are no
we have invested is also part of the solution. We longer abundant due to man-made pressures. The
hope that the partnerships we have formed might aim is to protect those that are left! The MPAs are
inspire other stakeholders and co-funders to join a part of the solution which could help us succeed.
this project in the coming years: private investors, By protecting resources, they generate benefits wit-
philanthropists... hin and around protected areas, and this could be
foundation of local and national start-ups. This is at
What is the key for this project’s success? least the direction of global discourse, and we are
Obviously it’s great to focus on the oceans. But we on the same path.
will fail unless we manage the different pressures
on the ocean, like land pollution, tourism, economic
activities, development, fishing... MPAs are a tool to
facilitate this process, and reduce the pressures.
These initiatives must not only involve teams who
are passionate about the sea like us, but must rely
on partnerships with upstream land-based econo-
mic sectors which are linked to the maritime sector.
That is what we would like to see emerge with the
investments we manage.