The project: Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation...

Pagou K.1, Streftaris, N.1, Giannoudi, L.1, Lazar, L.2, Basset, A.3, Karageorgis A.1, Alemany

F.4, Loizidou X.5 and the IRIS-SES consortium

1 Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, Greece, 2 National Institute for Marine Research and

Development "Grigore Antipa", Constanta, Romania, 3 University of Salento, Lecce, Italy, 4 Instituto Español

de Oceanografía, Madrid, Spain, 5 ISOTECH, Nicosia, Cyprus

Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France 1

The project: Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation

Strategy in the South European Seas

www.iris-ses.eu

Pilot Project - New Knowledge for an integrated management of human activities in the sea

PP/ENV D2/SEA 2012

Grant Agreement 070335/2013/659540//SUB/C2

The IRIS-SES experience on Science-Policy Interface

Project Duration: 18 + 2 months

Start: 1st October 2013

5 Activities/Work Packages

Total Budget: 1.201.986 €

EC contribution: 860.000 €

~ 200 man/months

9 Partners based in 8 countries: Med Sea - ISOTECH (Cyprus), HCMR, UoA (Greece), Univ. Salento (Italy), (IEO) Spain, TUBITAK (Turkey), Plan Blue (France). Black Sea – IO-BAS (Bulgaria), NIMRD (Romania), TUBITAK (Turkey)

A new approach and decision making tools for an integrated marine monitoring for the MSFD, in order to support an effective management of anthropogenic activities in Mediterranean and Black Seas

TARGET

2 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France


IRIS-SES aimed to support co-ordinated, coherent and comparable

implementation of MSFD

Focus on existing monitoring programmes for integration within

and between MSs

Specific objectives of IRIS-SES:

Develop decision-making tools to design efficient and cost effective monitoring

programs

Consider possibilities for the integration of techniques and determine the required

spatial and temporal resolution

Assess, through pilot sampling actions within existing monitoring programs, the

feasibility of proposed integrated monitoring strategies

Development of cooperation among research institutions within selected regions

in the implementation of pilot projects

Training events

Transfer of knowledge to other regions


By the 3 pilot projects coordinators

• Member States were in the process of developing their monitoring programmes

and some still are.

• Changes in reporting guidelines

• Indicator development still in progress within MSs / RSCs

• Timing of MSFD deadlines and project planning

Challenges:

by David Connor, DG ENV, 24 April 2015, Brussels, Final conference of the pilot projects)

• Large spatial scales

• Multiple elements of ecosystem

• Multiple pressures and activities

• High costs (especially offshore)

• Lack of strategic approaches

– reliance on existing programmes with different origins/objectives

– Institutional practices

• Monitoring is seen as a ‘cost’ not as an ‘insurance policy’ linked to

ecosystem goods and services


Meta-DataBase - Inventory of monitoring programmes

Inventory, assessment of MSFD monitoring related

international/regional legislation

Socio-economic assessment of human activities affecting the

marine environment and MSFD monitoring

Gap Analysis of current monitoring schemes

Guidelines on spatial and temporal extent of monitoring water

column and seabed

Adaptation and development of Intelligent Tools: GIS tools

and DECYDE-4-IRIS decision making tool

Recommendations for designing JMPs

E-Learning

MAIN OUTCOMES of IRIS-SES


Interconnection with the Scientific community and the

stakeholders

• Link and represent IRIS-SES in other international and national research projects

and scientific activities in the SES region (especially related with MSFD) MED

project, EMODNET, MISIS, PERSEUS, EcAp, DEVOTES, RSCs

• Link/synergy with ongoing projects in the Med-Black Sea region; organization of

special sessions/joint agenda events to enhance result exploitation and

dissemination

• Representation of IRIS-SES and its results at major science meetings, and outreach to

the stakeholders (and to a lesser extent to the general public)

• Communication of project results and scientific developments via the project website


Interconnection with the Scientific community, stakeholders, RSCs PCG meeting 12-13/9/2013 Brussels

Joint Kick off meeting, 13/9/2011 Brussels

• Black Sea Conference, 28-31/10/2013 Constanta

Bucharest Conference (AQUALIRES-2014) - BENA January 2014,

• CORGEST/UNEP 17-19 February 2014, Athens

HOPE Conference 3-4 March 2014, Brussels (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)

PCG meeting, 10 March 2014, Brussels (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)

MED project ARCADIS, CAM meeting, 7 April 2014, Brussels

• UNEP meeting on biodiversity, Athens, May 2014 (joint workshop with PERSEUS, IRIS participation)

GreInSUS conference, Stakeholder meeting, 8-10 May, Izmir

JMP NS/CS – IRIS_SES management meeting, 4 June, Athens

EMODNET-Chemistry meeting, 17-19 June, Split

MISIS Final Meeting, 23-26 June 2014, Mahmudia

PCG meeting (23 September, Brussels) (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)

Coordinators meeting (6 October, Rome)

• 4th Meeting of EcAp Coordination Group, 9 & 10 October, Athens

Short note/presentation to WG GES, 21 October 2014, Brussels (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)

Capacity Building Event, in the frame of the MED-project of ARCADIS, Varna, 28-29/10/2014.

• Black Sea Day, 3 November 2014, Istanbul, BSC

Workshop on nature, biodiversity water and marine policy, DG ENV, Brussels, 2-3 December 2014 (Joint

presentation 3 pilot projects)

• CORMON meeting, UNEP/MAP, 30/3 – 1/4/2015 – Joint stakeholder meeting with IRIS_SES

• Joint 25th Meeting of the Pollution Monitoring and Assessment Advisory Group (PMA AG) and

20th Meeting of the Advisory Group on Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources (LBS AG) of

the BSC, 2-3rd April, 2015, Istanbul, Turkey

• 31st Regular BSC Meeting, 8 October 2015, Istanbul


• pre-meeting on the DECYDE-4-IRIS tool, Cyprus, 18/3/2014

• Dahlem-type workshop on ‘Spatial and temporal extent of monitoring water

column and seabed habitats indicators, based on the scales of natural

variations’ in Lecce, the 14th - 16th of May 2014,

• 1st regional stakeholder meeting DeCYDE-4-IRIS (Eastern Mediterranean) in

Athens (23-24 October 2014 / ARCADIS, MED project)

• 2nd regional stakeholder meeting DECYDE-4-IRIS (Black Sea) in Constanta,

12 January 2015

• 3rd regional stakeholder meeting (Central & Western Mediterranean), Venice,

26 February 2015

Final Joint Stakeholder Meeting of the 3 pilot projects BALSAM,

IRIS-SES, JMP NS/CS, 24 April 2015, Brussels

The aim of this meeting was to share results and experiences from the 3 pilot projects

regarding the status of current environmental monitoring in the different sea regions, as well

as to discuss proposals for further coordinated monitoring


1) Analysis of the monitoring programs and development of the meta-

database

In order to achieve better knowledge on the gaps and understanding of the needs and

constraints

2) Identification of emerging MSFD monitoring needs and gaps and Integration across

descriptors and indicators

In this frame IRIS-SES developed an open-

access, οpen-source, continuously

updated, E-Learning platform both on the

IRIS-SES website and the LifeWatch portal,

with short interviews and ppt lectures related to

MSFD descriptors

A report on spatial/temporal indicators variability

(water column & seabed habitats) was produced

along with a gap analysis on the existing data of

marine monitoring spatial/temporal extend, as raster

maps of MSFD descriptors to identify monitoring

needs

IRIS-SES tools and solutions towards coordinated

monitoring to be taken forward in RSCs and in EU MSs


3) Adaptation and development of Intelligent Tools to optimize use of

resources

(a) a set of GIS (Geographic Information System) tools and (b) the DeCyDe-4-

IRIS decision-making tool

Addressed to scientists, decision makers, not necessarily experts on these

issues, to assist stakeholders to develop joint monitoring programs in the SES

Unified platform for Western, Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas

(a) GIS toolbox:

All information gathered within IRIS-SES was integrated to produce a GIS planning tool,

using background features/main geographic layers leading to the development of

Environmental Status criteria and the adaptation of GIS tools for the D3, D5, D8 & D9

descriptors unified for Mediterranean and Black Sea addressed to scientists, decision

makers and non-experts.


DeCyDe-4-IRIS is a user-friendly,

highly participatory decision-support

method that bridges the science-

policy gap and promotes

communication and interaction

between government, academia and

industry (MSs bodies responsible for

MSFD monitoring).

Through its implementation in a

preparotory workshop with Cypriots

stakeholders and in two regional

workshops, one in the Eastern

Mediterranean and one in the Black Sea,

DeCyDe-4-IRIS has been tested and

proven to be a valuable process of

‘translating’ science findings into a

simple, scientifically robust and effective

method of engaging key actors

and stakeholders

(b) The DeCyDe-4-IRIS tool

It has been dedicatedly developed to serve the

needs of IRIS-SES project, in order to explore joint

monitoring potentials among the countries of

Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.


• active participation of

key actors

• regional stakeholder

workshops

• recognition of needs,

suggestions

DeCyDe-4-IRIS

method resulted in

the identification of

well-defined

monitoring gaps

and needs

presented in Venn

diagrams


…. and concrete suggestions

Example:

The following collaboration opportunities between

Cyprus, Greece and Turkey were identified:

Develop an algorithm and associated satellite imaging for chlorophyll and sea grass

mapping e.g. Posidonia oceanica meadows.

Use common infrastructures, e.g. gliders, networks of buoys, Argofloats, as this would

enable the sharing of both costs and data.

Agree on common monitoring procedures, rather than on just joint monitoring

programmes, as this would allow comparability between results.

Pursue offshore joint monitoring opportunities, particularly for mature descriptors. This

can be cost effective, as offshore monitoring is not as well-developed as near-shore

monitoring. This is an initiative that could stem from the Regional Sea Conventions and/or

DG Environment.

Begin collaboration on Descriptors with major gaps, since collaborating countries could

set up common monitoring programmes, acquire common infrastructure and share

resources.

Prepare inventories of each country’s available infrastructure that could be used for

joint monitoring


(4) Planning the future JMPs to meet MSFD requirements.

Optimization and adaptation of ongoing monitoring programs

in Mediterranean and Black Sea

Proposals for Joint Monitoring Plans

were put forward taking into account

the results from all activities and the

conclusions from the pilot feasibility

studies that could be adopted by the

RSCs (UNEP/MAP and BSC) and the

EU MSs.

JMPs based on:

a) existing programs (as MEDIAS, MEDITS);

b) monitoring strategy of UNEP/MAP;

c) MPAs and seagrass monitoring;

d) innovative monitoring systems and platforms


(5) Inter-regional cooperation has been another important aspect of IRIS-

SES, mainly with the two RSCs, as well as the other two pilot projects

(BALSAM for Baltic Sea and JMP NS/CS for North and Celtic Sea), as

synergies and similarities have actively been sought between the

European sea regions and led to a joint ‘Towards coordinated monitoring

in the European Regional Seas’ DG ENV sponsored workshop, 24 April

2015, Brussels

Advice from DG ENV:

Top down steer needed to move towards joint monitoring

the 3 pilot projects to develop a joint strategic paper

containing the conclusions from this meeting and

proposals on the way forward, which should be discussed

in MSCG and Marine Directors in November 2015


Marine Directors are invited to:

a. Take note and make use of the main findings of the pilot projects to improve

coherence in the implementation of the MSFD and related international legislation and

increase cost-effectiveness;

b. Support the further development of coordinated and integrated monitoring

activities, notably in the area of multi-use of fish surveys, shared information on programmes

and deployment of new techniques that decrease the cost of monitoring;

c. Provide a firm basis for international collaboration by giving priority to funding

joint monitoring activities, supporting ongoing and future work in the Regional Sea

Conventions for this purpose and seeking operational collaboration with neighbouring

countries.

d. Make use of and find a home for the meta-databases developed in the projects

(especially for JMP NS/CS and IRIS-SES) in coherence with the information strategies of the

Regional Sea Conventions.


All outcomes and tools are available online also for the decision-makers and stakeholders (http://iris-ses.eu/category/outreach/results-outreach/)

Some more points to consider:

The Stakeholders’ meetings evidenced a difficulty

concerning the coordination level.

Experts proposed the monitoring of the MSFD under the light of the results achieved by the

WFD.

A lot of indicators are under development and have to be intercalibrated and approved by

European States but a more effective coordination is needed to achieve this goal.

Coordination should also involve a data repository.

The inventory is a critical point because there are many data repositories that are unknown.

We need to have data, to collect to do it in a standard way to publish but we need to put data on

a common repository that can be used by all.

Data repositories are reported as metadata and aggregate but, often, raw data are needed.

Stakeholders don’t need models but information by the status or pressure of each specific

indicator to monitor.

Comparability of data is a great problem to be solved and data question the opportunity to have

reference data is the principal matter

Coordinate the coordinators!


How to achieve joint monitoring?

Danube, MISIS and FI/SE examples: joint monitoring does work in practice. It is

cheaper and delivers more coherent outcomes

Joint monitoring involves joint data management and joint survey design. QA/QC

procedures close the gap between these activities

Properly define the objectives of an integrated survey – including priorities! –

before you go out at sea. Make sure that everyone is involved

Exchange of project results across RSCs helps to develop common language and

shared approaches

Sustainability of products and approaches: MSFD is the common driver and RSCs

are the coordinating bodies to think how we should proceed toward joint

monitoring

Accessibility of monitoring data for scientists and policy makers is crucial, RSCs

should lead by example

Make smart use of modeling to complement sea going surveys and save money

IRIS-SES Stakeholder Event, 31 March 2015, Athens

Thank you for your attention !

For more information:

Project Coordinator:

Kalliopi Pagou

HCMR

[email protected]

Tel. +30 22910 76409

www.iris-ses.eu

Project Manager: Nikos Streftaris - [email protected] Assistant Manager Louisa Giannoudi – [email protected] 19

All outcomes and tools are available online also

for the decision-makers and stakeholders

(http://iris-ses.eu/category/outreach/results-

outreach/)

mailto:[email protected]

The project: Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation...

Documents

Transcript of The project: Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation...