MAPMED

Research Directions:

Environmental genomics

Bioanalysis and biotechnology

Marine biodiversity

Ecology and ecosystem management

Description:

This project aimed to improve the environmental sustainability of tourist coastal areas in the Mediterranean Sea Basin through the optimisation, validation and transfer of tools to institutional authorities targeting the sustainable management and the reduction of marine pollution in tourist ports. The project was pursued through an integrated multidisciplinary approach and was based on cross-thematic innovative scientific, technological, socio-economic and legal expertise which was applied and replicated in four different Mediterranean countries (Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Egypt). During Phase I the representative tourist port areas were identified and described under a multidisciplinary framework including geographical, socio-economic, physico-chemical and ecological features. In Phase II the most appropriate integrated methodologies for the eco-efficient remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination of water and sediments of tourist port areas were selected and applied in two of the ports. Finally, in Phase III, the outputs of the validation cases were formulated and disseminated as environmental management tools including Site Action Plans and Pressure Impact Analysis.