Innovate to monitor, develop and restore

The Mediterranean Sea, the leading tourist destination in the world and in France, draws its economic growth from its shores, its coastal uses and its coastal towns. The coastline and the marine environment are home to a significant component of maritime activities, with challenges of economic attractiveness and sustainability. These environments are thus subject to strong anthropogenic pressures and risks, particularly due to climate change. To frame these developments, European or national regulations such as the MSFD (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) or the WFD (Water Framework Directive) establish a framework for community action in the field of water policy or the marine environment.

The scope of this strategic action area covers:

  • Protection of the coastal and marine environment — good ecological status and conservation of biodiversity;
  • Environmental risks linked to anthropogenic pollution and their effects on coastal and oceanic environments;
  • Resilience and adaptation to coastal risks, management of the coastline and associated developments;
  • Promotion of coastal heritage and economic sectors linked to recreational and cultural uses.

It also includes instrumental developments, vectors, infrastructure and information systems making it possible to measure and monitor the environment and the quality of environments.

  • 141

    certified projects

  • 116

    funded projects

  • 6

    key projects

  • 191

    million budgets for certified projects

A territory rich in innovators

More than 230 members of Pôle Mer Méditerranée are involved in the Coastal and marine environment field:

Innovative exporting SMEs: Ecocean, Semantic TS, Seacure/Géocorail … including the players in the innovative coastal ecological engineering sector run by Pôle Mer since 2013;

Leading environmental mid-sized companies/groups: BRLi, Créocean, Alseamar, Veolia, Suez, CLS, Seaboost (Egis);

Public research and training laboratories: CNRS, Ifremer and IRD, Universities, Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer, Villefranche Maritime Institute, etc.;

Actors in the ecosystem: AD’OCC, BNP Paribas, CCI Var, Cepralmar, Septentrion Environnement;

Institutions and partners: Water Agency, regions, French Biodiversity Office, Calanques and Port-Cros National Parks, DIRM Méditerranée, ADEME.

Main technological challenges

  • Achieving the regulatory commitments of the framework directives (WFD, DCSMM 2024-2030, Biodiversity Law, etc.) for France;
  • Evaluation of the performance of ecological restoration and ecodesign tools in development;
  • Reducing coastal vulnerability to climate change;
  • Managing the balance between economic development of coastal activities and environmental protection.

Head of strategic action area

Lucille SEVAUX

Deputy Director in charge of service offering and project manager DAS 5 “Coastline and marine environment”

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