CIESM Highlights Risk Perception and Ecosystem Resilience at Elafonisos Eco Week 2025
For the second consecutive year, CIESM was honored to contribute to the Elafonisos Eco Week, an international event that resonates deeply with the Commission’s mission to advance scientific understanding in support of a greener, more equitable Mediterranean future.
Held under the high patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the 2025 edition brought together a diverse network of actors—from civil society to academic institutions and policymakers—underscoring the urgent need for integrated, science-based responses to the region’s complex sustainability challenges.
CIESM Director General Dr. Laura Giuliano took the opportunity to spotlight the strategic importance of adopting a synoptic, basin-wide perspective when evaluating marine ecosystems. She pointed to recent advances in marine environmental science, particularly the integration of human dynamics into ecosystem functionality assessments, as crucial tools for shaping more resilient responses to environmental pressures.
Central to her remarks was the concept of risk perception, and how our understanding of threats—such as marine bio-invasions—profoundly shapes policy responses and community engagement. The lionfish (Pterois miles), now proliferating across the Eastern Mediterranean, was presented as a striking example of an invasive species whose impact hinges as much on public and institutional response as on its biological spread.
By calling for greater alignment between scientific insight, societal awareness, and cross-border cooperation, CIESM reaffirmed its role in promoting a cohesive Mediterranean approach to marine sustainability.
