PEGASO

PEGASO (2010 - 2013)

PEGASO is an ICZM project for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It is the FP7 project, supported by the EU. The main objectives of the project are: identifying and assessing the main threats in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea; looking at existing scientific data that can give more insight on what is happening; and bridging science with decision making. Such a complex work is based on the ICZM Protocol for the Mediterranean. In this context, PEGASO's main objective is to help the countries to put the ICZM Protocol into practice.

PEGASO works in 4 main directions:

1. Working with the countries to know how they are equipped for the implementation of such a policy, through the creation of a PEGASO ICZM Governance Platform, where needs can be expressed, information exchanged and collaborations strengthened (WP2);
2. PEGASO develops a number of sustainability tools (indicators, accounting methods, scenarios, social and economic valuation, guidelines for coastal and maritime planning, etc.) (WP4) with and for the Governance Platform, which includes also 10 case study areas, where the tools will be tested at different scales (WP5);
3. All this work needs to gather relevant data and information at different scales: available remote sensing images for the two basins (for land and sea assessment), national data, as well as regional/local monitoring, statistics, etc. All these data are organised in a Spatial Data Infrastructure for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, reinforcing the governance through a network of geo-nodes that allows sharing data amongst all partners and end users, each institution being the owner and manager of its own node; and
4. An important action of capacity building is envisioned for the collaboration between Southern institutions and around the Black Sea to build a common knowledge base for coastal and sea management and planning purposes, and to make stakeholders and decision-makers aware of what it is possible to do in order to stop or mitigate unwanted threats, and adapting as much as possible to risk, to reach a more resilient environment and equitable society, how to monitor well using the best existing technology in use in the countries, finally learning to work together, to collaborate on main issues, in a governance model that will adjust in organizing itself along the project life.

The role of PAP/RAC in PEGASO

The work package (WP2) has been led by PAP/RAC. WP2 is going to provide important support to enable ICZM to build upon current scientific work and information, as well as the experience from the past EU projects within the same or similar thematic fields. An assessment of ICZM governance in the Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal regions is going to be made, creating the bridge between scientists and end-users. The willingness and readiness to prepare an ICZM Protocol for the Black Sea will also been assessed.

At the heart of this work package is the "ICZM Governance Platform" which, during the project lifetime and beyond it, is going to foster links between the world that provides the necessary scientific input and the worlds of decision-making, policy formulation and the everyday management actions at the local level. The Platform allows these worlds to meet, exchange, discuss, and argue if necessary to avoid scientists becoming isolated in their own closed universe of ever expanding data, and decision-makers forced to look only at short-term solutions because they are not able to interpret and/or use these data in a proper way.  

Most importantly, the ICZM Governance Platform will facilitate the application of the ecosystem approach to the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts - linking the knowledge and information of the different elements that are required for the equitable and sustainable management of both coastal land and waters.

The Platform is a forum where partners share the data, information, methods and tools they have at their disposal with Mediterranean and Black Sea end-users and CASES who will help enrich the initial data input and transform it, in a joint effort, to what we can call know "knowledge". This kind of joint effort is called the "adaptive management", which can be defined as being science-based, participatory and strategic.

The Platform is:

1. structured to last after the project;
2. helps find good ICZM solutions;
3. assesses the readiness/preparedness for the implementation of the ICZM Protocol (Mediterranean);
4. assesses the willingness/readiness to prepare an ICZM Protocol for the Black Sea;
5. offers solutions for smoother implementation/preparation of the Protocol.

Besides the "official" members of the Platform all ICZM addicts, coast-lovers, people that want to engage themselves to make our coastal zones resilient, healthy, productive and attractive, have been invited to join the PEGASO team and to contribute by their knowledge and experience. We are more than happy to welcome them in the PEGASO family.

Specific WP2 Objectives

1. To take an initial stock of scientific, technical, legal, and institutional knowledge base to create a Platform for desired policy changes in Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal areas.
2. To integrate scientific, policy, managerial and societal views and attitudes towards ICZM governance in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions.
3. To develop a methodology for evaluation and assessment of ICZM governance in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions.
4. To assess end-user needs, define target groups and stakeholders.
5. To build a shared ecosystem-based ICZM Governance Platform for Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, aimed at assisting decision and policy makers, professionals, private sector and civil society elements to plan actions and assess their impacts in coastal and marine areas.
6. To facilitate implementation of the regional legal instruments.