MRUV Project Aps
“HOMINES DUM DOCENT DISCUNT”
C.F. 9110175932
PEC: mruvprojectaps@pec.it
For info: info@mruv.eu
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The Mediterranean Sea only covers 1% of the oceanic surface worldwide, but it is capable of providing 20% of the world’s marine product gross. It is considered one of the most important ecosystem on the planet as it contains almost 8% of the global marine biodiversity.
Unfortunately, the exacerbation of climate warming in recent decades has led to an increase of temperature which was 20% faster than the global average in the Mediterranean Sea. The increase of temperature is leading to changes in alteration of marine ecosystems and loss of biodiversity.
The negative impact of climate change on the Mediterranean Sea is further exacerbated by direct anthropic activities. Fuel from the shipping sector is polluting the water of toxic substances. Moreover, large quantities of waste are discharged in the sea every day, for example from fishing vessels (for example the so-called “ghost nets”) or from rivers
The employment of the vessel will allow the systematic collection of a wide range of data, contributing to the development of collaborative systems for sea monitoring. The current inadequacy of these systems has been stressed several times by the European Union, both during the launch of the EuroSea project in 2019 and in the occasion of the approval of Horizon EU in 2020.
The creation of a community database consisting of reliable data (both quantitative and qualitative) is essential for understanding complex systems such as marine ecosystems and for the development of an effective action plan that will guarantee a sustainable governance
The tongue is not enough to tell nor the hand to write down all the wonders of the sea.
The Mediterranean Sea only covers 1% of the oceanic surface worldwide, but it is capable of providing 20% of the world’s marine product gross. It is considered one of the most important ecosystem on the planet as it contains almost 8% of the global marine biodiversity.
Unfortunately, the exacerbation of climate warming in recent decades has led to an increase of temperature which was 20% faster than the global average in the Mediterranean Sea. The increase of temperature is leading to changes in alteration of marine ecosystems and loss of biodiversity.
The negative impact of climate change on the Mediterranean Sea is further exacerbated by direct anthropic activities. Fuel from the shipping sector is polluting the water of toxic substances. Moreover, large quantities of waste are discharged in the sea every day, for example from fishing vessels (for example the so-called “ghost nets”) or from rivers
The employment of the vessel will allow the systematic collection of a wide range of data, contributing to the development of collaborative systems for sea monitoring. The current inadequacy of these systems has been stressed several times by the European Union, both during the launch of the EuroSea project in 2019 and in the occasion of the approval of Horizon EU in 2020.
The creation of a community database consisting of reliable data (both quantitative and qualitative) is essential for understanding complex systems such as marine ecosystems and for the development of an effective action plan that will guarantee a sustainable governance
The tongue is not enough to tell nor the hand to write down all the wonders of the sea.
We must monitor and protect the natural resources of the Mediterranean Sea. Otherwise, we risk reaching a point of no return beyond which any intervention would be vain and the possibility of restoring just an illusion.
Rising temperatures caused by climate change are causing many marine species from the Red Sea, called “alien species” to enter the Mediterranean Sea. The invasion is facilitated by the breaking down of the 'salt wall' (salinity difference) at the Suez Canal, which happened as a consequence of the large amount of shipping traffic in the area. The intrusion of “alien species” in the Mediterranean can adversely affect native marine communities and lead to a loss of biodiversity. One example is the invasion of tropical algae (ex. the algae of the genus Caulerpa) which have such a high growth rate that they are supplanting the endemic aquatic plant Posidonia Oceanica, which has a key role in stabilizing seafloor substrates and in protecting biodiversity. The Posidonia Oceanica has also a central role in the diet of the most common marine turtle of the Mediterranean Sea, Caretta caretta.
The Oceans have a fundamental role in regulating Earth’s Climate. Each year oceans absorb approximately 25% of anthropologically generated CO2 emissions , thus mitigating the greenhouse effect and the rise of temperature. However, the more emissions are produced the more carbon is absorbed by the oceans , consequently, the water pH decrease and the water acidifies. This phenomenon is known as “ocean acidification”. Some of the consequences of ocean acidification can be observed on the carbon structures of various marine organisms, indeed, shells and skeletons are weaker, and the calcification is prevented. Many of the affected species , such as corals (present also in the Mediterranean basin) give protection and food to many other organisms, including commercially valuable species. Moreover, acidification can directly undermine the biological and physiological processes of many marine species , such as reproduction or respiration.
Eutrophication is a term that denotes the increase of nutrients (specifically nitrates and phosphates) in an aquatic environment . In the Mediterranean, this mostly affects coasts, especially the areas near cities and estuaries. The dumping of organic wastes and agricultural fertilizers in the sea is one of the causes of this phenomenon, which can lead to excessive proliferation of microscopic algae and in the consequent decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the water. In the most affected areas, this “algae bloom” may create the so-called “dead zones”: areas in which the oxygen concentration is so low that few marine species can survive. The Adriatic sea is one of the hardest-hit areas , mostly because of shallow depth as well as the presence of numerous estuaries, such as the Po’ river’s, which collects pollutants along the whole Pianura Padana.
Climate change is leading to an increase of extreme events’ frequency. For example, the increased frequency of thermal anomalies in marine ecosystems . Such events are particularly problematic because they cause mass mortality events among marine species and lead out to short and long-term consequences. Events of this kind may transform habitats, which lose their biodiversity and complexity . Other extreme events lead to coastal damage and erosion, impacting directly on coastal cities. In the Adriatic Sea, Venice is increasingly threatened by floods and “extraordinary high tide” events, the causes of which are exacerbated by climate change effects, such as the rise of sea level.
We must monitor and protect the natural resources of the Mediterranean Sea. Otherwise, we risk reaching a point of no return beyond which any intervention would be vain and the possibility of restoring just an illusion.
Rising temperatures caused by climate change are causing many marine species from the Red Sea, called “alien species” to enter the Mediterranean Sea. The invasion is facilitated by the breaking down of the 'salt wall' (salinity difference) at the Suez Canal, which happened as a consequence of the large amount of shipping traffic in the area. The intrusion of “alien species” in the Mediterranean can adversely affect native marine communities and lead to a loss of biodiversity. One example is the invasion of tropical algae (ex. the algae of the genus Caulerpa) which have such a high growth rate that they are supplanting the endemic aquatic plant Posidonia Oceanica, which has a key role in stabilizing seafloor substrates and in protecting biodiversity. The Posidonia Oceanica has also a central role in the diet of the most common marine turtle of the Mediterranean Sea, Caretta caretta.
The Oceans have a fundamental role in regulating Earth’s Climate. Each year oceans absorb approximately 25% of anthropologically generated CO2 emissions , thus mitigating the greenhouse effect and the rise of temperature. However, the more emissions are produced the more carbon is absorbed by the oceans , consequently, the water pH decrease and the water acidifies. This phenomenon is known as “ocean acidification”. Some of the consequences of ocean acidification can be observed on the carbon structures of various marine organisms, indeed, shells and skeletons are weaker, and the calcification is prevented. Many of the affected species , such as corals (present also in the Mediterranean basin) give protection and food to many other organisms, including commercially valuable species. Moreover, acidification can directly undermine the biological and physiological processes of many marine species , such as reproduction or respiration.
Eutrophication is a term that denotes the increase of nutrients (specifically nitrates and phosphates) in an aquatic environment . In the Mediterranean, this mostly affects coasts, especially the areas near cities and estuaries. The dumping of organic wastes and agricultural fertilizers in the sea is one of the causes of this phenomenon, which can lead to excessive proliferation of microscopic algae and in the consequent decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the water. In the most affected areas, this “algae bloom” may create the so-called “dead zones”: areas in which the oxygen concentration is so low that few marine species can survive. The Adriatic sea is one of the hardest-hit areas , mostly because of shallow depth as well as the presence of numerous estuaries, such as the Po’ river’s, which collects pollutants along the whole Pianura Padana.
Climate change is leading to an increase of extreme events’ frequency. For example, the increased frequency of thermal anomalies in marine ecosystems . Such events are particularly problematic because they cause mass mortality events among marine species and lead out to short and long-term consequences. Events of this kind may transform habitats, which lose their biodiversity and complexity . Other extreme events lead to coastal damage and erosion, impacting directly on coastal cities. In the Adriatic Sea, Venice is increasingly threatened by floods and “extraordinary high tide” events, the causes of which are exacerbated by climate change effects, such as the rise of sea level.
In recent years, a deep depopulation crisis has hit the city of Venice. According to recent estimates published by the Municipality of Venice the amount of tourist sleeping accommodations are currently equal to the number of inhabitants of the historic Venetian city centre
Dramatically, Venetians have been pushed out of the city and on to the mainland over the years. This has been also due to the sharp increase in house rent prices, which has also contributed to the closure of many different commercial activities. Furthermore, the recent outbreak of Covid-19 pan- demic put additional pressure on the city, highlighting once again the grave unsustainability of its economic and civic strategy.
Effective action is more urgent than ever. The city lies stagnant as a “open air museum” where not real citizens live. To reverse this tendency, actions guided by a long-term vision are necessary. The city of Venice has historically enjoyed a privileged and intimate relationship with The Adriatic sea. Nonetheless, the Adriatic is now for Venice more of a threat than an opportunity
This project aims at making the same Sea to which the city owns its own history, richness and uniqueness, the centre of a new unexpected renaissance
The construction of the vessel and its headquarters will make Venice emerge as a key European centre for maritime and underwater research in the Mediterranean, enabling it to attract researchers and high-potential professionals. This new source of people will provide the city with the human capital it so urgently needs.
«...Venice will die if it loses its memory, if we won’t seize its essence and rebuild its destiny, Fragile, Ancient, Unique for its relationship with the environment... The historic memory of our cities doesn’t need stasis, but movement. It doesn’t preach taxidermy, it advocates life. A movement which respects the genetic code of the city...»
In recent years, a deep depopulation crisis has hit the city of Venice. According to recent estimates published by the Municipality of Venice the amount of tourist sleeping accommodations are currently equal to the number of inhabitants of the historic Venetian city centre
Dramatically, Venetians have been pushed out of the city and on to the mainland over the years. This has been also due to the sharp increase in house rent prices, which has also contributed to the closure of many different commercial activities. Furthermore, the recent outbreak of Covid-19 pan- demic put additional pressure on the city, highlighting once again the grave unsustainability of its economic and civic strategy.
Effective action is more urgent than ever. The city lies stagnant as a “open air museum” where not real citizens live. To reverse this tendency, actions guided by a long-term vision are necessary. The city of Venice has historically enjoyed a privileged and intimate relationship with The Adriatic sea. Nonetheless, the Adriatic is now for Venice more of a threat than an opportunity
This project aims at making the same Sea to which the city owns its own history, richness and uniqueness, the centre of a new unexpected renaissance
The construction of the vessel and its headquarters will make Venice emerge as a key European centre for maritime and underwater research in the Mediterranean, enabling it to attract researchers and high-potential professionals. This new source of people will provide the city with the human capital it so urgently needs.
«...Venice will die if it loses its memory, if we won’t seize its essence and rebuild its destiny, Fragile, Ancient, Unique for its relationship with the environment... The historic memory of our cities doesn’t need stasis, but movement. It doesn’t preach taxidermy, it advocates life. A movement which respects the genetic code of the city...»
The fragile beauty of Venice risks disappearing below the sea waves , which level increases hand in hand with the current climate temperature increase. The start of this ambitious project will raise Venice as a symbol of the many coastal cities that today are threatened by the sea . Cities that will no longer be at the mercy of their inexorable fate, but protagonists of a global transformation that starts from those most threatened areas
One of the most worrying effects of climate change involves eustatism (that is the global sea-level change). Indeed, the rise of the earth’s temperature is causing the volumetric expansion of waters and the melting of mainland glaciers, as in Antarctica and Greenland. The rising of sea levels is a serious threat also for the coasts and cities of the Mediterranean Sea. In the last 150 years, the water of the Venice lagoon rose by around 2,5 mm each year. This number is the result of two opposite forces combined: the subsidence of the soil upon which Venice lies and the rise of sea level.
The subsidence of Venice (that is the sinking of lagoon geological strata) has been identified as a major problem decades ago, when it was observed that the slow and inexorable depression of the lagoon hinterland was exacerbated by the combination of two phenomena: the groundwater abstraction and the soil compaction, caused by the weight of the city buildings. Once the groundwater abstraction was banned, the subsidence of the lagoon slowed down, but never stopped . Currently, some other phenomena contribute to further compound the problem such as the movements of tectonic plates and the rise of sea level, caused by the increase of earth’s temperature.
The balance of the lagoon ecosystem is strictly connected to the three Venice’s harbor mouths : Lido, Malamocco, and Chioggia. Their evolution and the resulting flows of water, in and out the lagoon, are the results not only of natural processes but also anthropic activities, which started in the XV century with the diversion of the main tributary rivers. Recently, the MOSE system has been built to protect the city from the exceptionally high tides. This intervention has led to significant modification to the harbor mouths. The impacts of these modifications are very hard to predict but they will surely affect the movement of the water masses and of sediments. For example, the presence of MOSE’s barriers hinders the entry of sediments in the lagoon, which are vital not only for stabilizing Venice's soil and limiting subsidence but also for providing nourishment to marine life and anchorage for lagoon vegetation. After the MOSE system has been activated, the annual rate of sedimentation has decreased by an average of 25%.
One of the many problems of the Venice lagoon is water pollution, which is mainly caused by the discharge of industrial effluents into the sea. The industrial area of Porto Marghera, which includes also the petrochemical complex, strongly contributes to this phenomenon. However, other factors contribute to exacerbating the pollution problem, such as the direct discharge of domestic sewage into the water (houses often do not have adequate purification systems) as well as of water polluted by pesticides and fertilizers from the agricultural industry. Unfortunately, not only water pollution but also air pollution affects the city of Venice. Heavy marine traffic, together with the presence of large vessels such as cruise ships in the lagoon, have led to high levels of fine dust and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), making the air polluted and potentially toxic for inhabitants.
The fragile beauty of Venice risks disappearing below the sea waves , which level increases hand in hand with the current climate temperature increase. The start of this ambitious project will raise Venice as a symbol of the many coastal cities that today are threatened by the sea . Cities that will no longer be at the mercy of their inexorable fate, but protagonists of a global transformation that starts from those most threatened areas
One of the most worrying effects of climate change involves eustatism (that is the global sea-level change). Indeed, the rise of the earth’s temperature is causing the volumetric expansion of waters and the melting of mainland glaciers, as in Antarctica and Greenland. The rising of sea levels is a serious threat also for the coasts and cities of the Mediterranean Sea. In the last 150 years, the water of the Venice lagoon rose by around 2,5 mm each year. This number is the result of two opposite forces combined: the subsidence of the soil upon which Venice lies and the rise of sea level.
The subsidence of Venice (that is the sinking of lagoon geological strata) has been identified as a major problem decades ago, when it was observed that the slow and inexorable depression of the lagoon hinterland was exacerbated by the combination of two phenomena: the groundwater abstraction and the soil compaction, caused by the weight of the city buildings. Once the groundwater abstraction was banned, the subsidence of the lagoon slowed down, but never stopped . Currently, some other phenomena contribute to further compound the problem such as the movements of tectonic plates and the rise of sea level, caused by the increase of earth’s temperature.
The balance of the lagoon ecosystem is strictly connected to the three Venice’s harbor mouths : Lido, Malamocco, and Chioggia. Their evolution and the resulting flows of water, in and out the lagoon, are the results not only of natural processes but also anthropic activities, which started in the XV century with the diversion of the main tributary rivers. Recently, the MOSE system has been built to protect the city from the exceptionally high tides. This intervention has led to significant modification to the harbor mouths. The impacts of these modifications are very hard to predict but they will surely affect the movement of the water masses and of sediments. For example, the presence of MOSE’s barriers hinders the entry of sediments in the lagoon, which are vital not only for stabilizing Venice's soil and limiting subsidence but also for providing nourishment to marine life and anchorage for lagoon vegetation. After the MOSE system has been activated, the annual rate of sedimentation has decreased by an average of 25%.
One of the many problems of the Venice lagoon is water pollution, which is mainly caused by the discharge of industrial effluents into the sea. The industrial area of Porto Marghera, which includes also the petrochemical complex, strongly contributes to this phenomenon. However, other factors contribute to exacerbating the pollution problem, such as the direct discharge of domestic sewage into the water (houses often do not have adequate purification systems) as well as of water polluted by pesticides and fertilizers from the agricultural industry. Unfortunately, not only water pollution but also air pollution affects the city of Venice. Heavy marine traffic, together with the presence of large vessels such as cruise ships in the lagoon, have led to high levels of fine dust and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), making the air polluted and potentially toxic for inhabitants.
The importance of multilateralism in scientific research was repeatedly emphasized by several international organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that cooperation is necessary to respond to global challenges in today’s world. As pointed out by the United Nations’ Secretary General António Guterres (2019):
“We live in a world where global challenges are increasingly integrated and the answers increasingly fragmented: if all this is not reversed, we will have a recipe for disaster “
For this reason, we believe that, in this project, it is fundamental to build a multidisciplinary work environment from the beginning.
The close cohabitation of heterogeneous research teams in the vessel (or in the Headquarters) will generate a dynamic and inclusive scientific environment, besides stimulating interactions, the cross-contamination of ideas as well as the emergence of new opportunitie, which are crucial elements in the innovation process.
The vision that underpins our choice consists in making the MRUV project the ideal breeding-ground for emergent behaviour.
The emergent behaviour or “emergence” is a distinctive feature of complex systems, as the one we want to develop, where the interaction of group members generate properties other than the simple sum of those of the components.
The emergent behaviour in groups is often responsible for the success of some visionary organisations in tackling issues of great complexity as well as human and technological relevance.
The importance of multilateralism in scientific research was repeatedly emphasized by several international organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that cooperation is necessary to respond to global challenges in today’s world. As pointed out by the United Nations’ Secretary General António Guterres (2019):
“We live in a world where global challenges are increasingly integrated and the answers increasingly fragmented: if all this is not reversed, we will have a recipe for disaster “
For this reason, we believe that, in this project, it is fundamental to build a multidisciplinary work environment from the beginning.
The close cohabitation of heterogeneous research teams in the vessel (or in the Headquarters) will generate a dynamic and inclusive scientific environment, besides stimulating interactions, the cross-contamination of ideas as well as the emergence of new opportunitie, which are crucial elements in the innovation process.
The vision that underpins our choice consists in making the MRUV project the ideal breeding-ground for emergent behaviour.
The emergent behaviour or “emergence” is a distinctive feature of complex systems, as the one we want to develop, where the interaction of group members generate properties other than the simple sum of those of the components.
The emergent behaviour in groups is often responsible for the success of some visionary organisations in tackling issues of great complexity as well as human and technological relevance.
Climate change complexity depends, to a great extent, on the number of the variables underlying its dynamics and their interdependencies. The complexity is even greater when considering the impacts that climate change has on ecosystems, all of which are also complex systems on their own.
The difficulties deriving from the complexity of studying this phenomenon add up to the narrowness of the research methods employed to date. This narrowness is often attributable to the low grade of multidisciplinarity of work teams.
“The innovations, in the complicated world of science, can only come from collaboration.”
Consequently, we believe the
vessel may be a suitable space to
stimulate cooperation and to incentivize
the sharing of knowledge and skills, as well as creating the conditions for the arising of emergent behaviours.
These are fundamental elements to deal with complex, volatile and unpredictable scenarios, and to find effective solutions
If working separately we were strong enough to destabilize ours planet, surely working together we will be powerful enough to save it
The heterogeneity of research areas of team members is indispensable in order to produce an integrated knowledge to be used to study phenomena with a high degree of complexity, from the biological world to human society.
Climate change complexity depends, to a great extent, on the number of the variables underlying its dynamics and their interdependencies. The complexity is even greater when considering the impacts that climate change has on ecosystems, all of which are also complex systems on their own.
The difficulties deriving from the complexity of studying this phenomenon add up to the narrowness of the research methods employed to date. This narrowness is often attributable to the low grade of multidisciplinarity of work teams.
“The innovations, in the complicated world of science, can only come from collaboration.”
Consequently, we believe the
vessel may be a suitable space to
stimulate cooperation and to incentivize
the sharing of knowledge and skills, as well as creating the conditions for the arising of emergent behaviours.
These are fundamental elements to deal with complex, volatile and unpredictable scenarios, and to find effective solutions
If working separately we were strong enough to destabilize ours planet, surely working together we will be powerful enough to save it
The heterogeneity of research areas of team members is indispensable in order to produce an integrated knowledge to be used to study phenomena with a high degree of complexity, from the biological world to human society.
“HOMINES DUM DOCENT DISCUNT”
C.F. 9110175932
PEC: mruvprojectaps@pec.it
For info: info@mruv.eu
Piazza Nicolò di Maniago 5/A
33085, Maniago, PN
C.F. 9110175932
PEC: mruvprojectaps@pec.it
Per Info: info@mruv.eu
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