On February 7th, 2024, the MPA Europe project took centre stage in the Atlantic & Arctic Lighthouse Weekly Hour webinar. Spearheaded by the project’s coordinator Professor Mark Costello, the event unravelled some common myths and misconceptions surrounding Marine Protected Areas (MPA), offering a profound look into the pros and cons of conservation efforts in marine environments.

The webinar showcased the innovative approaches of the MPA Europe project, which aims to map optimal locations for a network of MPA in European seas. By prioritizing areas rich in biodiversity, at the species, habitat, and ecosystem level, alongside significant blue carbon stores, MPA Europe seeks to provide vital new information, comprehension, and tools for stakeholders. These tools are intended to enhance the design of MPA networks and integrate marine biodiversity, blue carbon, and ecosystem services into transboundary Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and climate change mitigation strategies.

A detailed overview of results and activities for biodiversity and blue carbon, presented by Anna Addamo and a presentation on blue economy and stakeholder engagement by Thanos Smanis, complemented this engaging session.

Drawing an impressive audience, the webinar registered 224 participants from 45 countries spreading across the globe, from New Zealand in the South Pacific to Mozambique facing the Indian Ocean and to Norway overlooking the North Atlantic, underscoring the global interest in marine conservation and the “30by30” initiative. The engaging Q&A session, following presentations, highlighted the project’s impact and the community’s eagerness to contribute to and learn from MPA Europe’s findings.

Watch below this impactful webinar: