BlueMissionMed - Supporting the Mediterranean Sea Basin for the implementation of the EU Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters

The Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters by 2030 provides a holistic and coherent framework for developing a systemic approach to the depollution and regeneration of the basin hydrosphere, which is a striking need in the Mediterranean Sea (MED). In the BlueMissionMed proposal, a multi-actor, trans-sectorial and multidisciplinary consortium, consisting of 6 R&I public institutions, 6 NGOs, 2 industrial associations, 1 private enterprise and 1 SME from 5 MS and 2 AC of the MED, proposes to set up, structure and empower a MED Lighthouse supporting the development and deployment of transformative innovative technological, social, business and governance solutions for ensuring a 30-50% reduction of pollution of the basin hydrosphere by 2030. It will be an interactive multi-actors digital platform able to offer to all MED Countries/Regions and stakeholders to access the necessary knowledge and tools. It will build on, connect and structure existing initiatives and activities, including the 9 Pilot BLUEMED on plastics free healthy MED and will exploit the R&I and policy knowledge generated by the funded projects/initiatives on the MED decontamination and restoration, ultimately promoting basin-wide cooperation, commitment and deployment of solutions addressing the Mission objectives. The Lighthouse will also ensure i) coherence, alignment and monitoring of EU, national and local policies, initiatives and actions ongoing the MED basin; ii) an effective provision of technical services, governance and business models to support and guarantee a sustainable socio-economic development of the basin; iii) a well-functioning basin scale innovation ecosystem attractive towards investors and businesses, iv) the required engagement of the society at large, thanks to a robust awareness raising and citizen science approach in its implementation in the sea basin and beyond, and, thus, v) the effective deployment of Mission Implementation Charter and piloting of the Mission objectives for the MED by 2025.