The Ecologic Institute, part of a pan-European consortium, is implementing the "Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters" support platform for the European Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Executive Agency (CINEA) and the European Commission, aiming to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems, prevent pollution, and promote a sustainable blue economy, which includes designing and managing the EU Blue Parks Community support services and contributing to the development of mission indicators.

Europe's marine and freshwater ecosystems face severe pressures including pollution, overexploitation, and climate change. Amid these mounting challenges, there is a pressing need for robust, coordinated, and proactive strategies to protect and restore these vital aquatic environments.

The EU has an existing comprehensive framework for conserving and sustainably managing its aquatic ecosystems and resources. Key elements of this include the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Water Framework Directive, and the Birds and Habitats Directives. However, recognising the need for a more ambitious and transformative approach, the European Commission has initiated the Mission 'Restore our ocean and waters by 2030'. The specific objectives of the Mission are to:

• Protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity (in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030)
• Prevent and eliminate pollution of our ocean, seas and waters (in line with the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil)
• Make the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular (in line with the European Climate Law and the holistic vision supported by the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy)

Ecologic Institute, as part of a pan-European consortium led by Technopolis Group, is involved in the implementation of the European "Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters" support platform for the European Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Executive Agency (CINEA), and in close collaboration with the European Commission (EC) Directorate-Generals MARE and RTD.

The objectives of the Mission Implementation Platform (MIP) Oceans are to:

• Assist CINEA and the EC with the implementation of the Mission including, knowledge, science to policy advice, financial advice and technical assistance, assist in capacity building, support to outreach, scale up and dissemination of information about knowledge and innovations at all levels; and provide access to knowledge to all citizens, as well as support and technical assistance to Mission partners that implement the Mission.
• Provide technical and scientific assistance for initiatives implementing the EU Blue Parks for the expansion of networks of marine protected areas.

The MIP Oceans will be comprised of a single information portal, hosting a mission monitoring and progress tracking system, and providing a platform to integrate actions by Mission partners, access to finance and investment, information on innovative solutions for restoration of ocean and waters, as well as support services for the EU Blue Parks community.

Ecologic Institute plays an instrumental role in this endeavor, by coordinating the design and operation of the EU Blue Parks Community support services. The EU Blue Parks are part of the Mission with the aim to contribute significantly to the EU's objective of protecting at least 30% of its seas, and strictly protect at least one third of protected areas (10% of EU sea) until 2030. The newly created EU Blue Parks Community of Practice aims to provide technical assistance and facilitate dialogue among Member States. It serves as a conduit for knowledge exchange, enabling Member States to collaboratively address challenges, share good practices, and foster cooperation on marine conservation between EU sea basins.

The EU Blue Parks Community support services include a platform for membership to the EU Blue Parks community, tailored outreach activities, biannual workshops from 2023 to 2026, a quarterly newsletter and a helpdesk.

In addition, Ecologic Institute contributes to the development of indicators for the monitoring and progress tracking system of the Mission as well as to the scaling up of knowledge and innovations at all levels.