Beschreibung
The EU Biodiversity Strategy (BDS) requires expanding the spatial coverage of marine protected areas to 30%, with 10% strictprotection. Achieving the current 14-17% coverage has taken the Baltic Sea region 30 years, and strict protection remains almost nonexistent.To meet the BDS target the countries will have to double the coverage in just 8 years. To fully capitalize on the added valueof increased coverage, designation, management and measures, including restoration, need to be done in a strategic, ecologicallyrelevant way focusing on areas and measures which enhance the existing network and optimise the possibility to secure positivebiodiversity outcomes.There are however substantial challenges facing the region when it comes to leveraging the full potential of upcoming protectionand restoration efforts and ultimately, positive biodiversity outcomes, especially in such a tight timeframe.To ensure that the upcoming efforts are both effective and efficient, this transboundary, network level, biogeographical region scaleproject will:- develop infrastructure for, and ensure long term access to, an unparalleled data driven, ecoregion scale, evidence base to supportstrategic planning, measures and management-- develop a blue print for, and establish, a data driven, regionally agreed protection framework to improve governance andtransboundary cooperation, including politically agreed shared conservation and restoration objectives, targets etc to reach thedesired state-- identify the current baseline of protection efforts across the entire sea basin.- cross-reference the desired state with the current baseline to identify gaps in protection and restoration efforts-- provide concrete and replicable support to ensure capacity for the Baltic Sea MS to strategically fill the gaps, harmonise, and achievethe full potential of the protection and restoration efforts.