Objective
The project MERCES is focused on the restoration of different degraded marine habitats, with the aim of: 1) assessing the potential of different technologies and approaches; 2) quantifying the returns in terms of ecosystems services and their socio-economic impacts; 3) defining the legal-policy and governance frameworks needed to optimize the effectiveness of the different restoration approaches. Specific aims include: a) improving existing, and developing new, restoration actions of degraded marine habitats; b) increasing the adaptation of EU degraded marine habitats to global change; c) enhancing marine ecosystem resilience and services; d) conducting cost-benefit analyses for marine restoration measures; e) creating new industrial targets and opportunities.
To achieve these objectives MERCES created a multi-disciplinary consortium with skills in marine ecology, restoration, law, policy and governance, socio-economics, knowledge transfer, dissemination and communication. MERCES will start from the inventory of EU degraded marine habitats (WP1), conduct pilot restoration experiments (WP2, WP3, WP4), assess the effects of restoration on ecosystem services (WP5). The legal, policy and governance outputs will make effective the potential of marine restoration (WP6) and one dedicated WP will assess the socio-economic returns of marine ecosystems’ restoration (WP7). The transfer of knowledge and the links with the industrial stakeholders will be the focus of WP8. The results of MERCES will be disseminated to the widest audience (WP9). The project will be managed through a dedicated management office (WP10).
MERCES will contribute to the Blue Growth by: i) improving the EU scientific knowledge on marine restoration, ii) contributing to EU Marine Directives; iii) implementing the Restoration Agenda, iv) enhancing the industrial capacity in this field, v) increasing the competitiveness of EU in the world market of restoration, and vi) offering new employment opportunities.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmarine biology
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringecosystem-based managementecological restoration
- social sciencessociologygovernance
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
60121 Ancona
Italy
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Participants (29)
28006 Madrid
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19013 Attikia Anavissos
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9901-862 Horta
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27570 Bremerhaven
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29280 Plouzane
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H91 Galway
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6708 PB Wageningen
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9220 Aalborg
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20500 Abo
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51005 Tartu
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10000 Zagreb
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00196 Roma
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
73100 Lecce
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3526 KV Utrecht
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08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles Barcelona
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6525 XZ Nijmegen
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0579 Oslo
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Participation ended
SN2 1FL Swindon
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60121 Ancona
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
16121 Genova
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
SO40 7AP Southampton
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
F28 EW73 Westport
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
00198 Roma
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CB3 0DL Cambridge
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
35100 Bornova Izmir
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08007 Barcelona
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EH14 4AS Edinburgh
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1170 Bruxelles / Brussel
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
SO14 3ZH Southampton
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