Applied Research and Solutions

The analysis of the essential environmental features and characteristics of the relevant waters is based on the indicative lists of elements covering the physical and chemical features, the habitat types, the biological features and the hydromorphology. The first analysis describes the initial state of the marine environment and serves as a proposal for selecting the characteristics that best describe good marine environment status. In agreement with other Adriatic and Mediterranean countries, this proposal will be used to select the characteristics for which regular monitoring will be set up.

The aim of the initial assessment of the status of the marine environment is to provide the first comprehensive overview of the marine environment’s characteristics, the pressures and impacts on it and the socio-economic analysis of the use of marine waters as well as an overview of the cost of degradation of the marine environment under the responsibility of the Republic of Slovenia.

The Marine Division prepares expert groundwork for the Marine Environment Management Plan (MEMP) in accordance with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC) for the contracting authority, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning. In the preparation of expert groundwork, the IWRS has the roles of coordinator (of activities and content), of creator of various professional content and of designer of data layers for reporting to the Commission.

The Republic of Slovenia’s marine area is intensely and extremely diversely utilised. Man’s marine and land activities impact the status of the marine environment. We need to keep in mind that having a healthy and clean marine environment is a precondition for performing various activities and as such provides certain benefits for the Slovenian economy and society.