Project Title: Cooperation and Awareness for Pollution-free and Environmentally Sustainable Black Sea

Total Budget: 845,308.56 EUR

Interreg NEXT Fund: 760,777.69 EUR

Duration: 24 months (18/07/2024 – 18/07/2026)

Project Overall Objective

The overall objective of the project is enhancing protection and preservation of nature and biodiversity by raising awareness on different types of pollution among communities and providing practical means of action towards a greener and cleaner Black Sea region during a 24-month period.

Study Area

• Georgia: River Chorokhi valley and mouth with freshwater ponds and wetlands habitat
• Moldova: Aquatic ecosystems of the “Lower Prut” Biosphere Reserve and RAMSAR wetlands (the Prut river, lakes)
• Turkey: River Chorokhi Turkish area including the brooks (such as Çağlayan and Arılı)
• Greece: NATURA 2000 coastal areas of the Region of Central Macedonia
• Romania: Natural Parks (RAMSAR wetlands of Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and Lower Danube)

Project Results

Result 1

Organizations cooperating across borders after project completion. The implementation of the management and action plans for the Choroki River Georgian – Turkish border will require further cooperation between LP1 and PP3 – KTU. PP2 – USPEE and PP5 – DDNI will cooperate for implementation of common solutions on the Romanian – Moldovan border after the end of the project.

Result 2

The primary solution derived from the project is the development and dissemination of a simulation model. This model simulates the transport, advection, dispersion, and weathering of small plastic particles in water bodies, and will be accessible online for stakeholders across countries.

Lasting Effect

All project outputs will be available for stakeholders without limitations. Management and action plans, and wetland ecosystem health measures will be presented to local, regional, and national authorities. The numerical model by PP4 – AUTH can be applied in other Black Sea areas. Revised curricula will benefit environmental education and careers, while open science resources will inform the public on pollution threats and practical mitigation measures.

Activities

• Development of common instruments and methodology for smart environmental observation
• State of art of plastic pollution in study areas of the BSB ecosystem, analysis of the challenges and measures to reduce it
• Exchange of experience / cross-border monitoring and assessment
• Development of recommendations for the ecological rehabilitation of the studied ecosystems
• Advancing public engagement with science and environmental knowledge production
• Valorization and dissemination of the collected data

Outputs

• Partners from five Black Sea region countries to implement the project
• Cross-border (Georgian and Turkish) management plans and action plans for the Choroki river corresponding areas
• International Conference
• Development and implementation of common methodology, instruments, and tools

Target Groups

• Interest groups including NGOs
• Local public authority
• Regional public authority
• Higher education and research organisations
• Business support organizations
• General public
• SMEs
• National public authority