Pathways to making peace with nature in the Mediterranean - Panel 1: Addressing challenges.

Monitoring biodiversity is the first step towards making peace with nature, but on one condition: cooperation beyond boarders. This session will present the successful ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative. Tour du Valat will introduce the Living Mediterranean Report, that reveals alarming biodiversity trends, but also reasons for hope.Conservation saved many species from extinction. Discussions will also focus on the social economic benefit of nature protection. Marine Protected Areas provide many benefits, but don’t necessarily lead to a win-win scenario. MPA expert Kate Hogg will help to take stock of this issue. The session will present political and economic initiatives contributing to biodiversity conservation. A representative of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality will share Izmir’s experience in building an environmental friendly city. Hussam Hawwa, CEO of Difaf, a company that incorporates circular economy principles, will speak about "pragmatic environmental solutions".