The University of Bucharest Announces the Completion of the JUST4MPA Project: Advancing Blue Justice Through Interdisciplinary Research

Coordinated by Priscila F. M. Lopes and Maria-Natașa Tătui-Văidianu, the project brought together an interdisciplinary team of researchers in geography, marine ecology, anthropology, governance, spatial analysis, and social sciences to investigate how marine conservation policies affect coastal communities and to contribute to the development of more equitable and inclusive management approaches for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Romania.

A New Perspective on Marine Conservation

In the context of European biodiversity targets and the expansion of Marine Protected Areas, JUST4MPA addressed a fundamental question: How can nature be protected without overlooking the people who depend on it?

The project explored the concept of Blue Justice and the relationship between marine conservation, social equity, and the sustainable development of coastal communities. It examined how conservation policies can support a just ecological transition without increasing existing social and economic inequalities.

To achieve these objectives, the research combined approaches from the social sciences and marine ecology, integrating qualitative research, spatial analysis, statistical modelling, and direct engagement with local stakeholders.

Interdisciplinary Research in the Danube Delta and the Black Sea

Throughout the project, the JUST4MPA team carried out extensive fieldwork in the Danube Delta and along the Romanian Black Sea coast, working closely with fishers, local communities, NGOs, public authorities, and research institutions.

Interviews conducted in communities such as Sfântu Gheorghe, Jurilovca, and Corbu provided valuable insights into how climate change, declining fish stocks, tourism development, and marine conservation policies affect the daily lives and livelihoods of coastal communities.

These findings were integrated with spatial and socio-economic analyses of environmental pressures, fishing effort, protection levels, and the characteristics of nearby coastal communities, contributing to the development of practical tools and recommendations for more effective and socially equitable Marine Protected Area management.

Scientific Results and Outreach Activities

Beyond its scientific contributions, JUST4MPA placed a strong emphasis on communicating research findings to both the scientific community and the wider public.

The project’s main outcomes include:

• the publication of scientific articles and presentations at national and international conferences;
• the Danube Delta Atlas, authored by Ștefan Constantinescu, highlighting the natural and cultural heritage of the Danube Delta;
• the publication of the booklet “Recipes (and Stories) from Sfântu Gheorghe, Danube Delta”, coordinated by Natașa Văidianu, Priscila F. M. Lopes, Andreea Cârstea, and Silvia Olteanu, celebrating local gastronomy and community heritage;
• the production of the 2026–2028 calendar series, inspired by the traditional cuisine of the Danube Delta;
• the publication of a collection of bookmarks featuring photographs captured during the filming of the ICUB documentary series in the Danube Delta;
• the production of a series of documentaries dedicated to Danube Delta communities, combining visual anthropology with participatory research;
• the development of the project website and the publication of research resources and dissemination materials.

Together, these outputs aimed to bring research closer to society while promoting the Danube Delta’s exceptional natural and cultural heritage through accessible and interdisciplinary communication.

Project Impact

The impact of JUST4MPA extends beyond academic research by strengthening dialogue between scientists, local communities, stakeholders, and decision-makers.

The project demonstrated the importance of integrating the social dimension into marine conservation policies and promoted the concept of Blue Justice as a key principle for developing more inclusive and equitable environmental governance.

Through the active involvement of fishers, local guides, NGOs, and other stakeholders, JUST4MPA created a collaborative platform where local knowledge and lived experiences became an integral part of the research process and informed recommendations for Marine Protected Area management.

The project also contributed to building the capacity of a new generation of researchers through practical workshops on scientific communication, academic writing, GIS, R and Python programming, species distribution modelling, and participatory research methods.

Overall, JUST4MPA has contributed to innovative approaches to marine conservation in Romania and the Black Sea region while providing valuable recommendations for European biodiversity and climate adaptation policies.

The JUST4MPA Hands-on Conference

The project’s achievements were showcased during the JUST4MPA Hands-on Conference, organized by the University of Bucharest, which brought together approximately 80 participants from Romania, Brazil, Spain, Greece, and China.

The conference featured scientific presentations, poster sessions, practical workshops, and a stakeholder roundtable dedicated to dialogue between researchers and local communities.

Special guests included Carmen Chifiriuc, Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Bucharest, and Sebastián Villasante, Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain).

The stakeholder roundtable brought together Răzvan Crimschi, Daniel Ivanov, and Cătălin Balaban, who shared first-hand perspectives on the challenges facing coastal communities and discussed the future of marine conservation and sustainable development in Romania.

The conference was organized in collaboration with numerous institutional partners, including WWF Romania, DALA Foundation, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Sfântu Gheorghe Marine and Fluvial Research Station, GeoEcoMar, Babeș-Bolyai University, and the National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”.

Project Legacy

Although the implementation of JUST4MPA has officially come to an end, its results will continue to support research and the management of Marine Protected Areas in Romania.

Scientific publications, educational resources, documentaries, the Danube Delta Atlas, digital materials, and policy recommendations developed throughout the project will remain publicly available, providing a valuable foundation for future research initiatives, educational activities, and evidence-based policymaking.

Through its interdisciplinary approach and close collaboration with local communities, JUST4MPA has demonstrated that biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development of coastal communities are complementary objectives that must be addressed together.

Funding

The project Blue Justice and Just Transformation: far-fetched concepts for Romania’s Marine Protected Areas? (JUST4MPA) was funded through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Component C9 – Support for the Private Sector, Research, Development and Innovation, Investment I8 – Development of a Programme to Attract Highly Specialized Human Resources from Abroad for Research, Development and Innovation Activities, under Funding Contract No. 760054/23.05.2023 (Project Code CF210/29.11.2022).

More information about the project is available at:

https://just4mpa.unibuc.ro/