Director of the COST Association, Ronald de Bruin stated the close links that the MarCons Action have made to the implementation of important EU policies such as the Green Deal and wider marine conservation policies.
On 15 October, the final conference for COST Action Advancing marine conservation in the European and contiguous seas (MarCons) took place online. The event brought together scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders, including environmental agencies and NGOs to bridge the gap between science management and policy in marine conservation. The event coincided with Earth Science Week, which runs between 11-17 October.
Above: A screen capture from the MarCons conference
The final conference assembled four panels to actively discuss and interact with a wide audience on ‘Assessing multiple threats to marine biodiversity,’ ‘Improving EU conservation policies and management practices,’ ‘Improving data availability and accessibility’ and ‘Marine conservation and blue economy (sustainability) – challenges and opportunities.’
Opening the event, Director of the COST Association, Ronald de Bruin praised the Action for having attracted a wide range of partners including the JRC, DG Environment and the European Marine Board. “Your work will feed into the mission area of Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland water under Horizon Europe. This mission is vital for the future of our planet and our societies as it will contribute to a sustainable use and management of marine resources.” He stated, “COST will continue to support the collaboration and address the need for incorporating emerging knowledge and information regarding the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity in the different discussions and negotiations on a European and global scale.”
Further information
Short video explaining the work of the Action