EN

BlueC

Black Sea Carbon Connection Project

Project Summary

Marine vegetation - particularly mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass - covers less than 0.5% of the sea floor, yet constitutes the world's blue carbon pools and accounts for more than 50% of all carbon storage in ocean sediments (up to 71%).

Objective: This 30-month project aims to ensure the protection of macrophytes and marine vegetation formations through appropriate management tools, prevent their degradation, and maintain them in a satisfactory conservation status.

Core Activities

The project includes the following implementation activities along with project management and communication activities:

1. Integration Activities

• Creating an integrated database
• Organization of conferences and workshops
• Community-Based Blue Carbon Awareness Program (ComBlueC):
  • Offline Blue Carbon Capacity Development Program (BCCap)
  • Online Blue Carbon Education Program (BCEP)
  • Integration with Ecosystem Education Program (EEP) and Zero Waste Strategy (ZEWSGES)

2. Management Tool Development Activities

• Development of ecosystem-based impact assessment guidelines
• Mapping and marine litter monitoring
• Marine Litter Watch application integration
• Modeling and analysis activities

Technologies to be Used

The following technologies will be used in all modeling and mapping activities:

• GIS (Geographic Information System) integration
• Remote sensing technologies
• Marine Litter Watch application
• Ecosystem modeling software

Target Groups

• Primary and secondary school students and teachers
• Local governments and administrations
• Local communities (fishermen, local entrepreneurs)
• Private sector developers
• Academic institutions

Project Information

Funding Source

Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme - Regular Projects First Call

Financial Target

RSO1.1: Development of research and innovation capacity and adoption of advanced technologies

Project Duration

30 months

Total Budget

€ 897.143,62

Project Partners

• Coordinating Organization: Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University
• Partner 2: NGO Bourgas Regional Tourism Association
• Partner 3: Ecological Counseling Center Cahul
• Partner 4: Institute of Marine Biology of the NAS of Ukraine

Related Resources

The project works in integration with the following platforms and programs:

• Zero Waste Strategy Project: www.zerowastebsb.com
• Marine Litter Watch: Marine litter monitoring and reporting platform
• Ecosystem Education Program (EEP): Zero waste strategy for good environmental status

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