CMCC organisation and the Development of the Blueprint Platform

• August 13, 2025

The Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) is playing a vital role in enhancing Marine Protected Area (MPA) management across Europe by leading the development of the Blueprint Platform within the Blue4All project. This innovative web-based platform is designed as a user-friendly digital environment, offering practical guidance, decision-support tools, and tailored solutions that address the multifaceted challenges faced by MPA managers and stakeholders at local, national, and European levels.

A Curated Repository

At the heart of the Blueprint Platform is a carefully curated repository of tools and methodologies. These resources empower users to explore and apply solutions that are customised according to the ecological, governance, and socio-economic contexts of individual MPAs. Beyond its technical capabilities, the platform strongly promotes community building and knowledge exchange, fostering a pan-European network for MPAs to share challenges, strategies, and best practices.

PHAROS Project and CMCC

Within the PHAROS project, CMCC is tasked with expanding and upgrading the Blueprint Platform significantly. Key advancements include the integration of a new module to identify and analyse ecological corridors, thus supporting connectivity-based conservation planning. Another major innovation is the incorporation of Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO) tools, which enable dynamic, data-driven simulations to enhance adaptive marine management. Furthermore, the platform’s geographic and thematic scope will broaden to include stakeholders from the Atlantic basin, enhancing its trans-basin relevance and facilitating valuable knowledge transfer beyond the Mediterranean region.

These improvements will transform the Blueprint Platform into a next-generation digital infrastructure for MPA governance. It will serve as a reference system for evidence-based, participatory, and climate-resilient marine conservation strategies. The first release of the enhanced Blueprint Platform is scheduled for January 2026, marking a significant milestone in the PHAROS project’s mission to support sustainable ocean stewardship.

This work definitely underscores CMCC’s commitment to deliver innovative tools and foster collaborative networks that strengthen MPA management in Europe and beyond, contributing to healthier, and more resilient marine ecosystems for the planet.

Access the Blueprint Platform