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55th CIESM Scientific Workshop organised by the University of Malta

The OMRG (Oceanography Malta Research Group) of the Department of Geosciences at the University of Malta recently hosted the three-day 55th CIESM Scientific Workshop, titled:

Tropicalization Revisited: Emerging Risks, New Opportunities and the Next Chapter of Mediterranean Science which brought together around 20 experts from all across the Mediterranean to discuss thematics such as marine heat waves, the further spread of non-indigenous tropical species within the Basin as well as the change in marine ecosystems as a result of the unremitting warming trend of the Mediterranean.

The International Mediterranean Scientific Commission (CIESM) was founded in 1919 by Prince Albert I of Monaco and featured 23 Member States, including Malta, which has been an active member of the CIESM since 1990.

The OMRG, represented through Malta’s National Delegate for the CIESM and Malta’s Ocean Ambassador – Prof. Alan Deidun – Prof. Adam Gauci, Mr. Alessio Marrone and Ms. Laura Prieto, presented monitoring data acquired through years of measuring water column temperature at depths from 5m down to 50m, through which the occurrence of a number of marine heat waves occurring within Maltese waters has been identified. Other presentations focused on the dynamics of the further colonisation of the Mediterranean by marine non-indigenous species (NIS) and on their socio-economic impacts.

The fourth and final day of the workshop involved the presentation of the scientific outputs to local policy-makers and representatives from Ambjent Malta, ERA, the Environment Ministry and Xjenza Malta were present, along with Malta’s Climate Change Ambassador Prof. Simone Borg. This final day was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism at Canberra House in Valletta, with a key introductory speech being delivered by the Permanent Secretary within the Foreign Affairs Ministry Dr  Christopher Cutajar. A publicly-available monograph encapsulating all the outputs of the workshop will eventually be delivered and will be fully available in the coming months.

The CIESM was represented at the Workshop by Director General Dr Laura Giuliano, Dr Paula Moschella and Dr Alessia Rodriguez. Special thanks goes to the dedicated Ministry staff, notably the Director for Global Affairs Dr Christianne Caruana, Mr Generoso Seychell and Ms Maria Borg for generously assisting the University of Malta in such a workshop organisation.

Further information about the CIESM is available .