Abstract
The AQUACROSS project was an unprecedented effort to unify policy concepts, knowledge, and management of freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems to support the cost-effective achievement of the targets set by the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. AQUACROSS aimed to support EU efforts to enhance the resilience and stop the loss of biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems as well as to ensure the ongoing and future provision of aquatic ecosystem services. The project focused on advancing the knowledge base and application of Ecosystem-Based Management. Through elaboration of eight diverse case studies in freshwater and marine and estuarine aquatic ecosystem across Europe covering a range of environmental management problems including, eutrophication, sustainable fisheries as well as invasive alien species AQUACROSS demonstrated the application of a common framework to establish cost-effective measures and integrated Ecosystem-Based Management practices. AQUACROSS analysed the EU policy framework (i.e. goals, concepts, time frames) for aquatic ecosystems and built on knowledge stemming from different sources (i.e. WISE, BISE, Member State reporting within different policy processes, modelling) to develop innovative management tools, concepts, and business models (i.e. indicators, maps, ecosystem assessments, participatory approaches, mechanisms for promoting the delivery of ecosystem services) for aquatic ecosystems at various scales of space and time and relevant to different ecosystem types.
Highlights
Aquatic ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and home to a diverse array of species and habitats
Action has been promoted under the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD, 1992) via a number of protocols (e.g. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; Nagoya Protocol on Access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization) and conventions (e.g. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES, 1973); Bonn Convention on Migratory Species (CMS, 1983); Bern Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (COE, 1979)
These international goals and commitments are reflected within the EU through a range of policies, regulations and directives these include the Birds and Habitats Directives (EC, 1992; EC, 2009) the Water Framework Directive (WFD, EC, 2000), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, EC, 2008), the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources (European Commission, 2012), and more recently the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (EC, 2011)
Summary
Aquatic ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and home to a diverse array of species and habitats. The EU is taking action on multiple fronts to safeguard the status of aquatic ecosystems These international goals and commitments are reflected within the EU through a range of policies, regulations and directives these include the Birds and Habitats Directives (EC, 1992; EC, 2009) the Water Framework Directive (WFD, EC, 2000), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, EC, 2008), the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources (European Commission, 2012), and more recently the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (EC, 2011).
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