TBILISI, 23 May 2017 – results of an ecological survey carried out by the EU/UNDP project “Improving Environmental Monitoring in the Black Sea” (EMBLAS-II) will be presented with the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, Head of National Environmental Agency, and project experts. The press-conference will provide journalists with 12 new findings about the Black Sea.

The findings are based on the results of the Joint Georgian – Ukrainian Black Sea Surveys carried out in 2016. During the surveys, a large number of environmental parameters were measured in all compartments of the marine environment, including unique samples taken from 2 km depth and analysed using novel monitoring methodologies.

During the press-conference, the EMBLAS-II project will present new data and main findings of the Survey such as: What pollutes most the Black Sea (including info on floating litter)?; What pollutants were identified for the first time?; What is the status of the oxygen layer?; How rich is the marine biodiversity (including data on dolphins, unique fish species and invasive species)? What are the new for the Black Sea intriguing microbial groups found in the oxygen-free layer of the Sea at 2 km depth? How and why to freeze marine water samples? 

Journalists are kindly invited to participate at the press-conference presenting the latest and unique scientific facts about the current status of the Black Sea:

What?       Press-conference “12 new facts about the Black Sea”

When?      23 May 2017 at 11:00

Where?     Tech Park Georgia, Okrokana, 7 Inovatsiebi St.

The surveys contribute to the implementation of EU-Georgia Association Agreement in the field of environment, addressing namely the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive in part of the initial assessment of marine waters and the EU Water Framework Directive in part of the status assessment of the coastal zones.

The Joint Black Sea surveys are conducted within the framework of the project ‘Improving Environmental Monitoring in the Black Sea” (EMBLAS) co-financed by the European Commission (EC) and UNDP.

More information is available at http://emblasproject.org and Facebook: www.facebook.com/UNDPGeorgia

Media contact:

Olena Marushevska, EMBLAS project, bluerivers.ukraine@gmail.com

Tea Shatirishvili, National Environment Agency (NEA), teashatirishvili1@gmail.com, +995 577 151541

Sophie Tchitchinadze, UNDP in Georgia, sophie.tchitchinadze@undp.org, +995 599 196907