This first year has certainly been a challenge. The ARTEMIS project brings together ten partners, is based on complex methodologies, and has a lifespan of two and a half years. “A lot of work to do in a short time. But we have proceeded rather smoothly, and we find ourselves in the full implementation phase. We’ve already delivered some of the work, and I think now we’re going to reach momentum in the first semester of 2025,” says Arnaud Terrisse, project coordinator of ARTEMIS. Together with Alice Wittevrongel, who also works on the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration Programme at Plan Bleu, Terrisse reflects on the first 12 months of activities, their difficulties, and accomplishments.
Kicking off the ARTEMIS project! The first partner meeting in Marseille, May 2024
For Plan Bleu, coordinating ARTEMIS began with ensuring all the legal and contractual documents were signed by all partners. At the same time, significant effort went into organizing the kickoff meeting in Marseille, which took place in May 2024, and selecting the appropriate methodologies for assessing ecosystem services, blue carbon, and biodiversity—the project’s core components. Regarding payments for ecosystem services (PES) applied to seagrass meadows, they are still in their infancy, requiring careful definition of both theoretical and practical approaches with the partners.
Arnaud Terrisse, project coordinator of ARTEMIS
“Initially, discussions revolved around the absence of a market that could bring the value of seagrass ecosystem services to the private sector in a tradable, open, and transparent manner. At the same time, we are aware that data on the state of the environment, particularly on Posidonia meadows and their ecological and health status, is highly fragmented. Our knowledge is solid in some areas but patchy across most of the Mediterranean, especially on the southern and eastern shores. The idea was to bridge these two elements to address the funding gap, which is widening every year,” says Arnaud.
The “knowledge acquisition period,” aimed at gathering all data related to blue carbon and biodiversity from the pilot sites in Crete, Sardinia, Monfalcone, and Menorca, is currently underway. The knowledge gained will subsequently enable the successful implementation of the project’s operational activities, including seagrass restoration and the development of financial mechanisms for restoration, scheduled from the second semester of 2025 until the project concludes in June 2026.
Alice Wittevrongel, project Coordinator at ARTEMIS
“Based on the acquired knowledge, feasible PES schemes will be designed for each pilot site by the end of the semester, before being tested until the project’s completion,” explains Alice Wittevrongel. “Simultaneously, we are analyzing the existing legislative framework for seagrass meadow restoration and assessing the value of ecosystem services. Once this work is completed at local, regional, and national levels, we can identify policy gaps and advocate for recommendations to integrate seagrass ecosystem services into policies.”
The journey to today’s accomplishments was not without challenges. The Plan Bleu team recalls that many aspects had to be clarified during the pre-contractualization phases. Coordinating administrative and financial matters, as well as transitioning from methodology development to implementation across pilot sites, was no easy feat.
However, as Arnaud emphasizes, “All partners were highly engaged and eager to begin working. They understood the urgency of addressing these matters. Of course, differing interpretations of the proposal emerged among some partners, largely due to their diverse perspectives and contexts. We made every effort to mediate and clarify roles within the project. In the end, I believe all initial misunderstandings were resolved, and for the past three months, the ARTEMIS project has been running smoothly and gaining momentum.”
Plan Bleu plays a dual role in ARTEMIS. In addition to project management and overall coordination, it also functions as a Regional Activity Center for the Mediterranean Action Plan, the UN-led program in the Mediterranean under the Barcelona Convention. Plan Bleu’s mission is to promote sustainable policies, ensuring that development and environmental concerns align for the benefit of both human communities and ecosystems. Additionally, it works to transfer project findings and research results to policymakers and civil society through media outreach and events. Raising awareness has become particularly crucial, especially following the release of the 2020 State of Environment and Development Report (SoED). “Projects like ARTEMIS allow us to connect science with policy, bringing best practices and experiences to decision-makers, ultimately informing their choices,” explains Terrisse.
Strengthening Collaboration and Planning for the Future
Collaboration among partners will be further reinforced at the next ARTEMIS partner meeting in Heraklion, scheduled for March 5-6. The progress made so far will be reviewed, and plans will be refined based on priorities and challenges identified during discussions. The meeting in Crete will also serve as a key moment to start considering the project’s legacy, says Alice Wittevrongel. “We’ll dedicate a session to brainstorming how the results of Posidonia restoration activities and related research can be carried forward. Additionally, we will explore how the financial and governance mechanisms developed within ARTEMIS can benefit future restoration projects in the Mediterranean basin.”
