Preserving the Adriatic Sea Ecosystems by Active Participation of CitizenS - SEAS
Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce ·Croatia
About this project
<p style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif">The Adriatic Sea is exposed to numerous pressures of human activities with a prevailing linear economic approach that causes poor condition of marine ecosystems. Despite the efforts, environmental NGOs (ENGOs) don’t have sufficiently strong impact on policymaking and legislation to steer marine environment management towards sustainability. The strengthened participation of the ENGOs will improve content and quality of implementation of policies and acts related to sustainable marine env. management (specific goal:SG1). With the same aim, the project will promote the importance of civic engagement in protecting marine env. To ensure that public policy advocacy and the conduct of strategic litigation for sustainable marine env. management are knowledge-based, in cooperation with business and academic sector partners, analyses and thematic researches will be carried out and databases (SG2) will be established. Analysis of the effectiveness of the use of public participation right (PP) and access to justice will be used in the positioning of ENGOs in creation of env. policies. Conduct of strategic litigations for infringements of legislation that impede sustainable marine env. management will improve quality of the implementation of legislative acts and strengthen case law (SG3). Public communication of project activities and results towards target groups (ENGOs, decision-making bodies, judicial bodies, professional and academia sector, media and citizens) will ensure visibility of work of ENGOs and solutions they offer to preserve sea. GI will contribute with expertise in field of PP and will provide support to smaller ENGOs and civic initiatives in procedures for approving projects in marine env. WWF Adria will contribute with expertise and experience in field of sustainable blue economy principles and by organising relevant expert conferences.</span></span></span></span></p>
Bilateral cooperation results
Methods of participation included exercising the right to provide opinions and comments during the drafting of regulations, typically through the e-consultation portal, and participating in working bodies. Together, the project team initiated a dialogue among stakeholders (fishermen, scientific community, civil society, and institutions) to formalize such forms of cooperation and decision-making. This effort led to the initiation of establishing a permanent working body for joint fisheries management. Additionally, WWF Adria contributed to the document "Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Croatia – Civil Society Perspective," which is the first "shadow report" by Croatian civil society organizations evaluating the fulfillment of the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 14: Life Below Water. WWF Adria prepared and submitted a proposal for the designation of a marine protected area around Molat Island to both relevant national ministries (Environment and Agriculture). They also participated in drafting the National Aquaculture Development Plan up to 2027 as part of a working group. During 2022, WWF Adria developed guidelines for creating a national action plan on bycatch of sensitive marine species and served as a member of the working group for "Pledge for Designations of 30% Protected Area Targets" at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. WWF Adria monitored the development of maritime spatial plans, including communication with the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property regarding unfinished maritime spatial plans. The permanent working body for joint fisheries management has been established but has yet to hold a meeting.
Project partners
- University of South-Eastern Norway (USN) Donor project partner· Norway
- Green Istria Project partner· Croatia
- WWF Adria – Association for the protection of nature and conservation of biological diversity Project partner· Croatia
- Urbanex d.o.o. Project partner· Croatia