Project in brief The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 25 hotspots and one of the 200 ecological regions with the highest biodiversity in the world. Although covering only 0.8% of the world’s sea surface and 0.3% of its volume, it is home to 7 to 8% of all known marine species. Similar diversity is known for terrestrial plant life. At the same time, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the world’s busiest areas for maritime activity and records about one third of the global oil traffic. Tourism and freight transport, offshore platforms and waste discharges from boats or affluent rivers are further rising vulnerability to oil and chemical spills. Pollution affects both marine and terrestrial biodiversity andcan have especially strong impacts on enclosed seas. Biodiversity in coastal areas is also heavily threatened by land cover change, and especially by urban and industrial development and tourism pressure. Within this context, GREAT Med will contribute to the development of an integrated and interdisciplinary strategy for assessing biodiversity and main human pressures (maritime traffic, tourism and urbanization) in selected coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin with a view to protecting and monitoring natural heritage in space and time. The project will be implemented in five selected areas: Gulf of Cagliari (Italy), coastal area of Provence (France), the area of Byblos (Lebanon), Abukir Bay (Egypt) and the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia). Specific objectives • To create a network of institutions, specialized agencies and local administrations for monitoring coastal areas in the Mediterranean and for integrating local interventions in a macro-scale action plan at basin level • To foster the transfer of knowledge and expertise on conservation and management of coastal areas • To develop a specific toolkit for assessing biodiversity at plant species and community levels and their vulnerability to potential risks (including oil spills, Hazardous and Noxious Substances, urbanization and tourismpressures) Expected Results: • Dialogue and cooperation between coastalstakeholders strengthened• Environmental status and vulnerability of 100kilometres of coast analysed in 5 countries (Egypt, France, Italy, Lebanon and Tunisia) • Technical and management capacities of authorities in charge of coastal areas enhanced thanks to the diffusion of a toolkit containing procedures and methodologies for assessing biodiversity, impact of urbanization and tourism, and contamination risks due to hydrocarbons • Public and private initiatives and investments related to Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) increased