An innovative approach to boost the resilience of Mediterranean ecosystems (RESCOM)

The Mediterranean basin is a hotspot for biodiversity, with a high concentration of endemic species. However, the natural environ-ments are degrading as a result of human pressures and the impacts of climate change. To counter this degradation, which affects ecosystems and populations alike, this project aims to launch an innovative arrangement with a multi-partner multi-biome conservation approach (sea, coastline, forests, small islands and wetlands).

The arrangement is also based on implementing Nature-based Solutions. Preserving and restoring natural ecosystems offers effective solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and helps to enhance environmental and social resilience.

The project has 4 components:

• Developing and implementing a regional programme to build capacity, based on Nature-based Solutions and other measures for biodiversity protection and resilience.
• Providing the Consortium with shared tools and mechanisms, such as the Think and Do Tank, financing for small projects, and the red alert system.
• Designing and implementing Nature-based demonstration Solutions on pilot sites in cooperation with national and local stakeholders.
• Ensuring effective project coordination and management and establishing a monitoring and evaluation arrangement with a view to embedding the initiatives launched.

• Easing the pressures and threats facing biodiversity.
• Maintenance of ecosystems.
• Strengthening the resilience of populations and ecosystems facing the effects of climate change.
• Reduction of the anthropic pressures on a region's ecosystems through improved cohabitation between ecosystems and pop-ulations.

This project offers an innovative and collaborative approach built on the coalition of five Consortium member organisations, supported by France’s Coastal Protection Agency. The diversity of these organisations makes them highly complementary, with strong presence on the ground at both local and regional level.

This project also encourages the use of innovative tools such as nature-based solutions, extending the red alert system to new biomes, and the implementation of a Think and  Do Tank. This platform will contribute to better coordination of actions nurturing biodiver-sity conservation in the Mediterranean by bringing together a wider mix of regional partner organisations.