On the night of August 12th, Goletta Verde, the iconic ship of Legambiente, made a stop at the Porticciolo Nazario Sauro in Monfalcone, Italy, in their campaign in defense of the Italian waters and coastlines. Under the starry sky and next to the ship, a public meeting was held with guests from the fields of environmental research and institutions in the region, including our partner, the Municipality of Monfalcone, represented by Mr Antonio Pavanello from the European projects office.
Mr Pavanello presented ARTEMIS, beginning with the question which was the main topic of the meeting: “How can local authorities, specifically municipalities, contribute to the fight against climate change, with particular reference to its effects on the Mediterranean coasts?” According to the expert, the only way for municipalities to contribute is by seeking to provide innovative solutions through European project planning and through international and cross-border cooperation with other local authorities, research institutions, NGOs, and more. On this topic, the Municipality of Monfalcone, drawing from its previous experience with the SASPAS project, has already started at improving the conservation of seagrass meadows in the Adriatic, facilitating their repopulation and conservation.
The focus of the discussion was on marine seagrasses, valuable ecosystems for our seas, which produce large amounts of oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, serve as biodiversity hotspots by providing food and shelter for many species, protect and nourish our beaches, and reduce coastal erosion, among all benefits. Our partner explained to the audience that the innovative approach of ARTEMIS does not stop at conservation/restoration in four pilot sites, including the Gulf of Panzano, but extends to the evaluation and enhancement of the ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows, such as carbon sequestration and marine biodiversity protection. He emphasized the importance of these ecosystems not only for biodiversity but also for sustainable economy.
However, the project does not limit itself to evaluating ecosystem services. The project aims to integrate the value of ecosystem services into financial tools called PES (Payment for Ecosystem Services) which will, potentially, support the economical sustainability of such projects in the long run. Legambiente, through its representative Michele Tonzar from Monfalcone, confirmed their interest to be involved in the stakeholder discussions of the project. According to Mr Tonzar, the scientific committee of Legambiente could also be consulted during the project.
