The aim of the Cool Waters project is to advance the protection and promotion of submerged marine sites of high natural and cultural heritage importance across the Northern Periphery and Arctic Region. While the region boasts a wealth of such features, ongoing deterioration, lack of integrated management and climate change threats remain considerable challenges. Poor accessibility and lack of unified promotion have resulted in unrealised economic potential for local communities.
The project will employ knowledge transfer, intensive monitoring efforts, innovative technologies, economic valuations, public outreach, education and entrepreneurship in order to preserve and promote these valuable marine resources, to strengthen relationships across the region via integrated management and promotional measures, and to create a sustainable economic resource for local communities. The project takes a novel innovative approach via merging of cultural and natural heritage interests and development of integrated management and promotional programmes.
Expected Results (EN): Preparedness of responsible authorities in remote, sparsely populated areas for environmental management in relation to climate change and impacts of new investments in exploitation of natural resource.
Objectives
The project aims to work with stakeholders to gather improved knowledge and to illustrate and raise awareness of the association of the natural and cultural resources across the region.
Specific Objective: Increased capacity of remote and sparsely populated communities for sustainable environmental management
Thematic Objective: (06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:
Investment Priority: (06c) Conserving, protecting, promoting and developing natural and cultural heritage.
