BLUE GROWTH: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THE BLACK SEA

Topics

Session I: Observing the Black Sea, Moderator - GeoEcoMar
A crucial element of the Black Sea restoration and rehabilitation initiatives is the implementation of a continuous monitoring and operational observing system in the Black Sea. Regular observations in the Black Sea basin started in the past century and quite a good multidisciplinary observing system operated in the 1970–1980s, mainly based on ship observations. Since then, many projects and initiatives have dealt with technological opportunities for improving both satellite and in situ infrastructures, able to support the R&D activities such as the modeling and assimilation capabilities, validation and verification of modeling and satellite products, real time monitoring, estimation of quality of physical variables, etc.
This session aims to increase the awareness of the importance of observation capacities in the Black Sea and highlight the progress made so far.



Session II: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation of Marine Ecosystems, Moderator - NIMRD
Marine ecosystems are subject to a variety of threats including disease, pollution, climate change, habitat alteration, overexploitation, and invasive species. Various conservation approaches are used to protect these ecosystems and involve monitoring, management, and international cooperation. Understanding the fundamental components as well as the interactions between aquatic organisms and their environment can help to better understand and conserve marine ecosystems.
The session ”Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation of Marine Ecosystems” aims to bring together leading academic scientists and researchers to exchange and share their research results, latest findings, achievements and views on marine biodiversity, ecology and conservation.



Session III: Sustainable Use of Marine Resources, Moderator - NIMRD
Although the Black Sea is a unique basin that is rich in biodiversity, heritage and natural resources, it is increasingly under pressure due mainly to the impacts from human-induced factors, such as eutrophication and hypoxia, overfishing, and introduction of alien species, in addition to the effects of climate change. For these reasons, the sustainable use of the Black Sea resources is of utmost importance and research in these areas is essential.
This section covers topics focusing on living resources (fisheries, aquaculture, biotechnologies etc.) and non-living potential (mineral resources, energy, cultural heritage, tourism etc.), aiming at fostering the “blue transformation“ of the Black Sea.



Session IV: Oceanography, Marine Geology and GeoEcology, Moderator - GeoEcoMar
The Black Sea is the largest anoxic basin in the world, with a complex geology established in the last 250 million years since the Triassic. The marine basin was intermittently connected with the world ocean via the Mediterranean, imprinting on lithological/sedimentological and geochemical features, leading to significant changes of the faunas and floras composition, especially during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) and Holocene times. This Black Sea is also very important for its potential source rocks of hydrocarbons, and for other unconventional resources, i.e., gas hydrates.
This section comprises topics regarding the aforementioned features, including geology, tectonics, geochemistry, connectivity and isolation, along with aspects related to nowadays presence of various pollutants in the basin.



Session V: Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) and Coastal Management, Moderator - UOC
The development of coastal areas and maritime space is a priority in the European Union together with its Green Deal and sustainable blue economy aims. In the global context of resource depletion, climate change and biodiversity loss, the sustainable use of marine resources is a key issue in the framework of important regulations to be adopted through maritime spatial planning and coastal management processes.
This session aims to emphasize sustainable blue economy policies and actions as a society response to current challenges in the Black Sea basin while building a collaborative long-term and integrated strategy of maritime space and coastal areas development, based on the transfer of knowledge and innovation.
This session aims to raise the awareness on the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the Black Sea and its resources and to build an improved public knowledge base across the world’s population regarding our global ocean.



Session VI: Ocean Literacy and education, Moderator - Mare Nostrum
Ocean Literacy represents the understanding of the ocean’s influence on us and our influence on the ocean, as well as the importance of the ocean to humankind, communication about the ocean in a meaningful way and responsibility about decisions regarding the ocean and its resources. Moreover, ocean literacy is not just educating or informing the public and the marine and maritime stakeholders about the importance of oceans - ocean literacy aims at facilitating the creation of an ocean literate society. Ocean literacy in the Black Sea region is a crucial aspect of understanding and conserving this unique marine environment.
Key points regarding ocean literacy in the Black Sea are representing by environmental challenges, biodiversity, education, research and collaboration.
This session aims to raise the awareness on the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the Black Sea, enhancing Ocean Literacy concept to build an improved public knowledge by actively engaging with all the stakeholders.



Harmonizing research methodologies in the Black Sea. Joint H2020 DOORS – BRIDGE-BS session dedicated to the proposal of compatible methodologies at the basin scales.