One of the main outcomes of the PEGASO project is the Integrated Regional Assessment (IRA) report. Its main purpose is to provide a policy-oriented blueprint for guiding future scientific research, policy making and socio-economic activities related to the ICZM Protocol in the Mediterranean, which can also be applied to processes in Black Sea countries.

The IRA report shows the value of using the PEGASO integrated assessment toolbox on the governance platform-making use of the Spatial Data Infrastructure with data from the Land and Ecosystem Accounting methodology, the Cumulative Impact Index and the ten PEGASO pilot sites (CASEs) across the Mediterranean and Black Sea region-to meet policy needs and contribute to the implementation of the ICZM Protocol.

In addressing the main threats to the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the IRA report focuses mainly on the objectives of balanced urban development and preservation of natural capital. Its conclusions are consistent with those of a number of other assessments and reports, which confirm coastal urbanization to be one of the main threats to the Mediterranean and some parts of the Black Sea. However, the drivers and potential impacts of urbanization vary with the geographical, environmental and socio-economic characteristics of the particular coastal areas examined.

This IRA report describes the work done and the progress made under the PEGASO project in applying an ecosystem-based approach to coastal and ocean management in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It also includes a concrete proposal for introducing ecosystem-based management, based on the results of a collaborative meeting of scientists, practitioners and decision makers.

The IRA report is not a comprehensive marine and coastal assessment of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, yet it does identify a number of management and policy issues that need to be addressed both in the implementation of existing policies and in the definition of future ones.

For further info: Francesca Santoro

Picture: Map of per cent of urban areas from total areas of coastal accounting units in 2000, PEGASO LEAC. (c) CEM, University of Nottingham, 2013.