Funded cross-border project exploring new ways of protecting the Mediterranean coastline. Mare Nostrum, has a budget of EUR 4.32 million, of which 90% was funded by the EU.

Mare Nostrum (our sea) was the name used by the ancient Romans to refer to the Mediterranean.

Today, the 22 countries of the Mediterranean Basin share a number of challenges to their shores, including strong development pressures, vulnerability to sea-level rise and other impacts of climate change and other threats to an already-degraded coastal environment.

The project’s primary goal is to contribute to bridging the policy-implementation gap between the ideals of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and its effects on the ground. The project will develop new tools for realistic implementation of ICZM and is expected to lead to improved dialogue and cooperation across national borders.

Mare Nostrum is comprised of 11 partners from Malta, Greece, Israel, Jordan and Spain, including leading research institutes, local municipalities, environmental NGOs and port operators. The project builds upon existing international efforts, such as the Barcelona Convention and the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean of 2008.