Partners from MSP4BIO got together for the Fifth General Assembly Meeting held on 5 and 6 of February 2025 in an online format event. The two days meeting was filled with intense presentations on the main results achieved in the MSP4BIO and discussions on fine-tunning the outcomes and their widespread communication and promotion across the six test sites and beyond.
On the first day, in active interactive sessions partners discussed and contributed to socio-ecological management framework for MPAs and MSP integration and to the formulation of recommendations on Strategic Environmental Assessment process for MPA and MSP integration. In the afternoon the recent updates on the ESE Integrated Framework, feedbacks from MSP4BIO Communities of Practice and next steps were presented and discussed among partners to fine-tune the ESE tools, ecological and socio-economic criteria and measures for better alignment of MSP and MPAs. Afterwards, policy solutions for each test sites and results from the Think Thank science-policy events were presented and brainstormed to facilitate the biodiversity mainstreaming in MSP and to address the gaps in EU and Regional Seas Policy Frameworks for improved integration of biodiversity protection in a science-based MSP.
The second day was full with showcases and demonstration results of the operationalization of the ESE Framework and Decision Support Tools (DSTs) applications in MSP4BIO test sites. Partners presented various spatial or strategic planning solutions developed for specific local needs by applying the selected ESE modules and DSTs, co-developed and co-validated with the CoPs. The main focus of brainstorming was on enhancing the uptake of results and increasing their transferability and upscaling beyond the test sites and the EU.
Stay tuned for the news and updates on the final validation CoP Workshop and the Closing Conference of MSP4 via the MSP4BIO webpage: https://msp4bio.eu/