The International Conference on Wetlands, organized by Fundación Global Nature, recently convened experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the pressing issues surrounding marine governance. The conference highlighted the need for innovative governance practices to ensure sustainable and effective management of the oceans, seas and coasts.

The conference was mainly focused on the situation of wetlands in València and the Mediterranean area. Irene Luján’s intervention to explain the BlueGreen Governance has been vital to understanding its importance when it comes to facing the climate challenges that Europe will face in the coming decades.

During the event it was discussed the importance of marine governance as a multifaceted arena where various actors, interests, institutions and processes intersect, often dealing with conflicts across different administrative scales and territorial entities. The current management of marine environments is frequently fragmented, spanning multiple institutional layers, policy domains, socio-economic sectors and territorial boundaries making public policies usually not as effective as expected.

Other subjects like E-governance were also discussed as a facilitator for adopting integrative, interactive and predictive approaches to marine governance. E-governance enhances the availability and exchange of information, making future practices more transparent and accessible to stakeholders, thereby facilitating the development of effective public policies.

The International Conference on Wetlands underscored the urgent need for innovative and integrated governance practices to address the complex challenges of marine governance. The collaboration of experts like Lujan and initiatives like the BGG project are pivotal in driving forward sustainable and effective marine management strategies.

Written by: Sara Tortajada, University of València.