The Mediterranean is heating up, and we need its wetlands more than ever. They provide water, food, biodiversity, and climate protection. Yet, half have been lost in 50 years, and most of what remains is under threat.
From 2019 to 2022, we led communications for the MAVA Wetland-based Solutions project, coordinating a campaign with 11 major partners, including BirdLife, IUCN MedWetlands International, and WWF Spain, to raise awareness and influence policy for their protection.
Throughout 3 years, we developed and promoted impactful visuals, videos, and storytelling, shifting the narrative from pure conservation to everyday benefits of wetlands, aligning all communications with advocacy goals. The campaign reached its peak with a powerful three-month social media drive in English and four national languages. It engaged audiences in Albania, Montenegro, Tunisia, and Italy, while amplifying its impact across the Mediterranean and the EU. We reached more than 2 million people and generated over 4 million impressions. Videos were viewed more than 650,000 times. Local and national media published dedicated articles on coastal wetlands, including National Geographic Spain. Policy-makers directly interacted with the content reaching out to the team to apply solutions presented by the project. Scientific debate was sparked on sea-level rise and climate risks linked to wetlands.
By the end of 2022, Mediterranean wetlands were not only more visible to the public, but also firmly present on the EU and Mediterranean policy agendas.
- We created a strong, memorable identity - Wetland-based Solutions - designed to be both relatable and policy-relevant.
- We produced high-quality visuals, videos, infographics, and even a sand art animation, many of which are still being reused by major conservation and policy players such as IPBES and UN Biodiversity.
- We shifted the narrative from pure conservation to everyday life, presenting wetlands as providers of essential services - water, flood protection, and climate buffers - making the message accessible and relevant to all.
- We worked closely with policy teams to ensure that every communication effort directly supported advocacy goals.
- We brought journalists into the field and trained them, fostering authentic, science-based reporting that reached broader audiences.
- We strengthened and motivated the partner network through regular calls, one-to-one support, and a unified visual identity.
- We leveraged major international milestones - World Wetlands Day, Coast Day, the IUCN Congress, and the Barcelona Convention COP - to amplify local stories on a global stage.
We designed and led a large-scale 3-year communications campaign with 11 partners to raise awareness and influence policy for the protection and restoration of Mediterranean coastal wetlands.
- This was a 360° campaign, blending communications with science and policy from the start.
- To truly engage decision-makers, we speak their language and offer concrete solutions - but we also invite them to go further. By encouraging them to step beyond their institutional role and reveal their human side, we help rebuild the essential bond between leaders and citizens.
- Coordinating 11 international partners was challenging but rewarding - their diversity gave the campaign credibility and reach.
- Linking local pilot projects with regional and EU-level debates created a powerful feedback loop for change.
