The project Strengthening Global Governance of Large Marine Ecosystems and Their Coasts through Enhanced Sharing and Application of LME/ICM/MPA Knowledge and Information Tools or LME:LEARN is aiming to improve global ecosystem-based governance of Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) and their coasts by generating knowledge, building capacity, harnessing public and private partners and supporting south-to-south learning and north-to-south learning. A key element of this improved governance is mainstreaming cooperation between LMEs, Marine Protected Areas (MPA), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) projects in overlapping areas, both for GEF projects and for non-GEF projects. This Full-scale project plans to achieve a multiplier effect using demonstrations of learning tools and toolboxes, to aid practitioners and other key stakeholders, in conducting and learning from GEF projects.

The key objectives of LME: Learn are to:

Create a global and regional network of partners to enhance ecosystem-based management and to provide support for the GEF LME/ICM/MPA/MSP projects to address their needs and incorporate climate variability and change;

Synthesise and incorporate relevant knowledge into policy-making, capture the best LME governance practices, and develop new methods and tools to enhance the management effectiveness of LMEs and to integrate the ICM, MPAs, MSP and climate variability and change issues across geographic and institutional scales;

Build capacity and create partnerships through twinning and learning exchanges, workshops, and training among LMEs and similar initiatives; and

Communicate and disseminate LME/ICM/MPA/MSP project achievements and lessons learned.

LME:Learn will result in a wide range of deliverables including regional networks, training modules, twinning opportunities, management toolkits, extensive LME projects data base, science-to-management workshops, global conferences, dialogues and for a, communication products etc.
The initiatives partners are inviting all interested parties to collaborate in the development of the LME:Learn activities to help turning its achievements into a long standing tool that will assist all stakeholders in efficiently managing their marine resources. The LME Approach, advocated by the LME:Learn and supported by GEF and other financing mechanisms, is an ecosystem-based management tool that can fully utilized in achieving the SDG 14 Objective.