1. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Aims and Objectives of the International Conference on the Sustainable Development of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea Environment E. Papathanassiou National Centre for Marine Research (NCMR) Athens, Greece

2. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Sustainable Development The effort to improve our quality of life and boost growth, competitiveness and employment should coexist with the sustainable management of natural resources and the protection of the environment from human and natural forcing.

3. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography EU Steps for Sustainability 1 Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development is one of the important targets of the EU and ERA. Helsinki Summit 1999: Heads of States and Government asked the European Commission to propose a European Sustainable Development strategy for the Gothenburg Europe Council. May 2001: EC communication on “A Sustainable Europe for a Better World: A European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development”cont…

4. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography /… June 2001: the European Council in Gothenburg adopted the EU Strategy for Sustainable Development comprising four priority areas: climate change, transport, public health and natural resources EU Steps for Sustainability 2

5. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Mediterranean and Black Sea considered as enclosed seas are more sensitive to human pressures than the open ocean. They are under severe anthropogenic forcing due to: –the population expansion of the last 50 years, –urbanisation, –tourism, –intensive agriculture and resulting pollution, –eutrophication, –soil degradation –…. Human forcing

6. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography natural variability and climatic changes Human forcing Dramatic changes in the ecosystem and resources

7. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Sustainable development of the regions of the Mediterranean and Black Seas is of strategic importance for the European Union which is in the process of expanding with several candidates for Accession Countries bordering these enclosed seas Importance of Sustainability in the two regions

8. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Missing Element? Missing of integrated information for the two regions could help develop policies and strategies for SD

9. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography The role of the Greek Presidency Greece gives emphasis to the environmental problems of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea Priority to establish long lasting links for the exchange of information and training Both regions deserve better coordination to achieve sustainability Integrated information should be the target

10. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Aims of the Conference Reinforce the scientific and technological collaboration between the EU MS, the Black Sea region countries and the third countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region.Why? In order to develop sustainable scientifically- based strategies for the management and preservation of marine ecosystems under threat

11. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography The integrated approach It is the only way to tackle this subject for four main reasons: a) a) many gaps still exist in our practical and theoretical knowledge of ecosystem structure and function b) b) the subject not only covers a wide geographic area, but many countries and a wide range of habitats, systems and processes, (great depths of the Ionian and Cretan Seas and the Levantine Basin, river deltas and wetlands, and a vast insular environment)

12. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography c) c) there is an influx of invasive species from the continuous migration of species from the Indo-Pacific and other areas, thus altering the ecosystem equilibria d) d) new research techniques offer new insights into the multi-disciplinary areas involved i.e., –genetic studies in population structure and evolutionary dynamics of marine species; –influence of hydrographic, climatic and anthropogenic factors, and their practical implications on ecology and fisheries management; –generic ecosystem models and data assimilation techniques capable of describing the dramatic changes of the ecosystem and its resources The integrated approach 2

13. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Main objectives of the Conference 1.Presentation of the state-of-the-art of the 11 key thematic areas addressed in the Conference and their connection with the two regions 2.Identification and description of common environmental problems in the regions for which research is needed 3.Initiation and establishment of thematic networks especially between MS and associate states on the one side and third counties on the other for constant exchange of ideas, exchange of expertise, experiences and know-how.

14. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Presentation and analysis of the 6 th FP related to sustainable development especially in relation to marine science and technology. Promotion of the actions under the 6 th FP which could be used to address, through research activities, the key policy issues in the regions. Enhancement of the interaction and exchange of ideas and know-how between researchers, end-users and policy makers within the marine environmental sectors Main objectives of the Conference

15. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Programme Guiding Friday morning: Report of sessions I,II and III (Coordination by the chairpersons of session II) Friday morning: FP6 – Global Change and Ecosystems priority and international co operation Friday afternoon: Small presentation on the ongoing national projects from 9 countries in the Med and the Black Sea (by the Organising Committee)

16. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH Institute of Oceanography Saturday morning: Report of sessions IV, V, VI and VII (Coordination by the chairpersons of session VI) Saturday after lunch: Scientific Support to policies -Integrating and Strengthening the (ERA) Saturday afternoon : Report of sessions VIII, IX and X (Coordination by the chairpersons of session VIII) Common theme in all session reports: the missing elements that could permit the achievement of the goals set Programme Guiding