New Platform Enhances Marine Data Sharing in the Mediterranean

Portoros, [Date] – The platform initially launched as a prototype at the last COP in Portoros has now become more stable and fully operational. The system is designed to facilitate cooperation among different marine conservation programs, including the Pelagos Agreement—a collaborative initiative for cetaceans conservation between Italy, France, and Monaco.

This came during the proceedings of the Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) “COP24,” hosted and chaired by Egypt under the theme “Sustainable Blue Economy for a Resilient and Healthy Mediterranean Sea.”

The conference brings together 21 Mediterranean countries and features a series of side events addressing major environmental challenges in the Mediterranean Sea and mechanisms to tackle them.

The platform allows each country to upload and manage their own data securely, effectively serving as a personal Web GIS. Users can create maps for websites or other purposes while ensuring that sensitive information remains protected. Documents and data layers can also be accessed, with each entry following a strict data-sharing policy established in 2021 at the COP in Antalya, Turkey.

The data policy emphasizes the principle that information should be “as open as possible and as closed as necessary,” respecting national regulations while promoting transparency. The platform does not harvest data from other sources but links directly to original datasets via interoperable IT services. This approach ensures fair and secure data sharing among different systems. All data practices comply with GDPR regulations.