Between 7 and 10 October 2025, The Green Tank participated in the third in-person meeting of the ARTEMIS project in Monfalcone, Italy — an important opportunity for project partners to assess progress and coordinate next steps in this broad Mediterranean initiative to restore and conserve Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows through innovative scientific, policy, and financial approaches.
Building Partnerships for a Sustainable Adriatic
The week began with the Local Stakeholder Workshop, organised by the Municipality of Monfalcone and attended by Mayor Luca Fasan. Local authorities, experts, and ARTEMIS partners discussed environmental pressures in the Adriatic, climate resilience, and tools to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Advancing Science, Policy, and Finance for Seagrass Restoration
On 8 and 9 October, project partners met for two intensive working days focused on the scientific, policy, and financial aspects of the project. Partners from the four pilot areas — Capo Testa–Punta Falcone (Italy), Atzikiari Bay (Greece), Cala Blanca (Spain), and Panzano Bay (Italy) — presented updates on restoration work and the lessons emerging for the broader Mediterranean.
A highlight of the meeting was a Peer Learning session, which featured a keynote address on Nature Markets by Ece Özdemiroglu, founder and CEO of EFTEC. The session focused on how market-based mechanisms — from carbon credits to nature credits — can create new opportunities for restoring marine ecosystems, as long as they are grounded in transparency, trust, and robust standards.
The partner meeting concluded with the Steering Committee session, which provided an opportunity to assess progress across all work packages and to plan the next steps for the final phase of the project.
Raising Awareness at Barcolana 57
The week concluded in Trieste, where ARTEMIS participated in the 57th edition of Barcolana, the world’s largest sailing regatta, in collaboration with the Municipality of Monfalcone. The ARTEMIS booth in the Barcolana Village became a meeting point for sailors and sea lovers — many of whom discovered for the first time the vital role of seagrass meadows in supporting marine biodiversity, storing carbon, and protecting coastlines.
Under the motto “Chi ama il vento, protegge il mare” (“Those who love the wind, protect the sea”), ARTEMIS invited the sailing community to reflect on its role in protecting marine ecosystems and to embrace a shared culture of responsibility and care for the sea.
During the booth’s opening, the report “Investment Opportunities in Seagrass Restoration” was officially launched. Prepared by Ecoacsa and EY Denkstatt Bulgaria, with major contributions from Plan Bleu, The Green Tank, and all ARTEMIS partners, the study offers the first comprehensive overview of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes in the region. It explores how seagrass restoration can generate ecological, social, and economic value and connects European policy tools — such as the CSRD Directive, the EU Taxonomy, and the Nature Credit Roadmap — to new funding opportunities for nature restoration.
Through its participation, The Green Tank emphasized the importance of linking scientific knowledge and policy innovation with nature finance, ensuring that restoration efforts deliver both environmental and social benefits.
