The Black Sea is a unique sea basin that is rich in biodiversity, heritage and natural resources. But it is under increasing pressure from human activities and the effects of climate change, causing the Black Sea marine ecosystem to deteriorate. It has undergone drastic changes since the early 1970s.
The Black Sea, together with its marine basin and coastal socioeconomic systems, is a natural laboratory of global significance, for fundamental science, sustainability policy and the blue economy.
In 2018, experts from the 7 countries bordering the Black Sea: Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, in cooperation with marine experts from leading European marine institutes and organisations, and with the support of the European Commission, launched a shared vision for a productive, healthy, resilient, sustainable and better valued Black Sea by 2030 - the Burgas vision paper.
