In the Heart of science and co-creation: BLUE4ALL's Commitment to Marine Protection
date: 07/05/2024
HORIZON Europe Mission Ocean BLUE4ALL's objectives are clear: to align the diverse needs and expectations of MPA managers on a bottom-up approach, with the overarching goals of marine conservation and regulatory expectations from a top-down approach. Being a bit more than one year in, Blue4All has already carried out a ‘review of socio-ecological framework and methodologies’, screened the ‘available frameworks and tools building constituency and expectations management’, and published a report on ‘benchmarking Institutional and policy frameworks for MPAs’, as well as developed an engagement plan of information sites and living labs.
Towards a needs-based blueprint
With the pillars mentioned above, BLUE4ALL is now embarking on a crucial phase: the development of a needs assessment which will be used in the project’s future workshops to identify the expectations of their Living Labs’ stakeholders. The goal of this process is to develop a Blueprint Platform that will contain social, economic, environmental, and financial tools to co-create effective, efficient and resilient (networks of) MPAs, crafted through the collective wisdom and experience of the MPA managers working with Blue4All’s consortium, and reflecting the real-world needs of MPA managers and the communities they serve.
A Call to Action: Join Us in Shaping the Future
BLUE4ALL’s approach is one of co-design and co-development, leveraging the expertise of technical, scientific, and field experts to create a blueprint that's not only innovative but also actionable and grounded in practical realities. Therefore, as the project continues to advance, we invite you to be part of their journey. Whether you're an MPA manager, a conservation enthusiast, or simply someone who cares deeply about the future of our oceans, your voice matters. In the spirit of the Mission Ocean and its Blue Parks Community, BLUE4ALL will soon host a community and networking platform for which we invite you to keep posted by subscribing to the Blue Horizons newsletter to receive their updates, or by following them on Twitter or LinkedIn. Join them in their endeavour and together let’s plot a course to fulfill the Mission Ocean’s vision and safeguard the vitality of our oceans for generations to come.