Workpackage 4

Title

Developing alternative desirable socioeconomic and ecological scenarios and selecting most appropriate management plan

Coordinator

Dr. Louis F. Cassar

International Environmental Institute, Malta  (Partner 5)

Objectives

To develop alternative desirable socioeconomic and ecological scenarios

To select the most feasible management plan

To maximise the probability of implementing the alternative management plan proposed

To develop guidelines for water management over the Mediterranean coastal areas

Description

To fulfil this workpackage stakeholders involvement and participation was needed. The contacts established in Workpackage1 and the conceptual and quantitative frameworks (Workpackage2, Workpackage3) developed for the case studies helped at creating the conditions and the mechanisms for effective communication with various stakeholders in each study site.

This allowed the assessment of existing management plans in collaboration with local stakeholders and the development of alternative socioeconomic and ecological scenarios for each case study. Multidisciplinary teams of experts proposed the scenarios and the management plans, which could achieve these scenarios, and the development of criteria for management plans assessment. These management plans were assessed from technical, socioeconomic and ecological point of view to determine their positive and negative contributions. Accordingly, the most feasible management plans was selected. Focus group and technical meetings were held at each study site with the participation of local stakeholders to discuss the developed scenarios and management strategies.

Deliverables

Desirable socioeconomic and ecological scenarios

Alternative management plans

The most feasible management plans selected for each case study

Guidelines for managing water bodies general to the cases and applicable to similar cases

Milestones and expected results

Technical meeting at each study site to discuss alternative scenarios and management plans