ENGAGE

The ENGAGE project builds on the outcomes of the Interreg Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community project. In particular, it capitalizes on the “Policy Paper for the Definition of a Governance Framework for the South Adriatic-Ionian Strait Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (SAIS-EBSA)”.

The South Adriatic Ionian Strait—located between Italy, Albania, and Montenegro—has been recognized as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), during the 2014 meeting in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea.

The Policy Paper outlines a strategic pathway to engage key stakeholders and decision-makers in the SAIS-EBSA process. It stresses the importance of:

Capacity building to develop skills for assessing the economic value of the region, with a strong focus on ecosystem services.
Identifying key leading bodies and creating motivational incentives, including economic strategies, to promote meaningful and equitable stakeholder engagement.
Addressing pressures identified by experts through coordinated governance.

To achieve these goals, the ENGAGE project will implement the following activities:

A 30-hour cross-border training course in Albania
Three workshops in Albania, Montenegro, and Italy, involving key stakeholders and experts
An incoming visit to Montenegro

The final outcome will be an Action Plan, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This will outline coordinated and shared actions between decision-makers and stakeholders, with the goal to:

Foster synergies on conservation measures between South Adriatic countries
Preserve the **ecological integrity of the SAIS area
Support the development of transboundary marine protected areas
Contribute to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, which aims to place 30% of EU sea and land areas under protection by 2030