Research efforts on marine litter are increasing our knowledge on the amount, composition and impacts on marine ecosystems, biodiversity and people. However, the number of studies is scattered and geographically unbalanced, making it difficult for policy makers, managers, the business sector and the general public to accurately understand the dimensions of such a modern challenge and the urgency to react.
Based on the LITTERBASE by AWI at global scale, PANACeA has developed MedBioLitter, an open database and spatial geoportal on current scientific knowledge related to marine litter and biodiversity interactions in the Mediterranean region.
Hosted by ETC-UMA, PANACeA lead partner, the MedBioLitter thematic database is regularly updated to include key scientific findings by the Interreg Med Biodiversity Protection projects and a network of partner institutions active on marine litter research. The MedBioLitter database includes, in addition to the geolocation of more than 470 studied areas and species, direct access to more than 100 articles; the most recent scientific literature on marine litter and biodiversity in the Mediterranean including spatial data, metadata and authorship. Furthermore, the database includes a mechanism for any author interested to submit new information for analysis and inclusion in future updates (latest edition, September 2019).
Other resources of interest on marine litter in the Mediterranean as featured by the Med Biodiversity Protection Community:
- Policy report: Tackling Marine Litter in the Mediterranean – Knowledge and Tools
- Factsheet: Tackling Marine Litter in the Mediterranean – Knowledge and Tools
- Factsheet: Marine Litter and Biodiversity interactions in the Mediterranean Sea
- Report: Ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary and cumulative impacts in the Mediterranean, Cairo, 27 November 2018
- Report Arabic version: Ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary and cumulative impacts in the Mediterranean, with a focus on marine plastic litter and climate change
- MARLICE Workshop report: Marine Litter knowledge and tools in Mediterranean protected areas, Seville, 11-12 April 2019
- Webinar conclusions on Marine litter by Interreg Med, 17 July 2017 – Watch the video.