Strenghtening the science-policy integration for Marine Protected Areas management in São Paulo

• Grant number: 25/01484-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Physical Geography
• Principal Investigator: Luis Americo Conti
• Grantee: Vitor Alberto de Souza
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/10107-9 - Marine Protected Areas Habitat Mapping Program, AP.PP

Abstract

The understanding about the characteristics of the seabed and its interaction with different human pressures are key elements for the management of marine and coastal protected areas. Integration of different areas of expertise in a transdisciplinary approach in the study of these elements has the potential to provide important insights into complex challenges related to conservation and socio-environmental governance. It is through the understanding of the different ecological and social processes that occur within the Marine Protected Areas of the State of São Paulo (MPAs) that the PROMAP project aims to provide subsidies to guide and promote the application of the principles of the Ecosystem-Based Management approach among managers. To this end, the project seeks innovation in the way it promotes the expansion of the process of producing and disseminating knowledge to management and society, fostering inclusive dialogues to promote integrated, adaptive, preventive and democratic socio-environmental governance. In this way, this proposal interacts with the scientific production of all the working groups that are part of this research project, consisting of a possibility for greater integration of the project's output with the needs of management and a better opportunity for scientific production and dissemination through collaborative construction between the different organizations involved. In this context, the aim of this research project is to develop efficient strategies for transferring the results of academic research as an instrument to directly support decision-making. The specific objectives of the research project are: (1) to plan, draw up the methodological design, organize and conduct the workshops provided for in the scope of the project; (2) to systematize and make available, among the socio-environmental governance processes, the knowledge generated in the various academic instances and the use of ecosystem services for management and society and; (3) to improve the development of methodologies and activities that strengthen the incorporation of academic discussions into collaborative and articulated diagnoses between the project's multiple institutional and community partners. The proposal is expected to achieve the following results: (i) preparation and publication of research reports; (ii) publication of scientific articles; (iii) publication of books; (iv) workshops and academic meetings and scientific dissemination and dialogues with society and government agents; (v) contribution to postgraduate programs through the involvement of master's and doctoral students in other project activities. Thus, this proposal reinforces the project's commitment to aligning academic research and public management, promoting inter-institutional coordination and wide dissemination of the results achieved in promoting São Paulo's MPAs.