Marevivo is an environmental foundation that has been protecting the sea and its resources for over 35 years. It works in Italy and abroad to promote the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable development and the strengthening of marine protected areas, while combating pollution and illegal fishing. Marevivo also supports educational initiatives in schools and universities to raise awareness on environmental issues.

Marevivo faces in an increasingly complex context from the point of view of environmental emergencies related to the health of the sea, coast and rivers: among all pollution, the loss of biodiversity and climate change. Hundreds of millions tons of plastic are produced in the world every year and end up in the ocean, 90% of which are single-use items such as cutlery, glasses, cotton swabs and balloon sticks. Once at sea, the debris breaks down into millions of invisible microplastics that marine animals mistake for food, often with fatal consequences. The impact of human activity on biodiversity is also severe, with several species predicted to become extinct in the next few decades unless drastic solutions are found to halt climate change. In this context, advocacy and awareness campaigns are crucial to sensitize public opinion and have a tangible impact on the change needed to ensure a future for the planet and human life. In order to address the above issues, Marevivo will continue and intensify its efforts at national and international levels in the coming years to ensure the protection and enhancement of the marine ecosystem.

The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF), always deeply committed to environmental issues and wildlife conservation, has been supporting Marevivo’s activities since 2007.

The first project granted by the NaEPF was the Tevere Lab (2007-2008), an environmental education laboratory on the Tiber river in Rome, open to students and citizens to discover and observe the river in a new way. Through a variety of activities, the laboratory was able to raise awareness among its users on issues such as the protection of biodiversity, the correct use of water resources, and the identification of small everyday sustainable actions. The NaEPF grant was used to produce a series of outreach materials and to purchase scientific equipment, in addition to covering the costs associated with the creation of the floating laboratory structure.

From 2011 to 2016, the NaEPF has supported the project “Dolphins as Guardians of the Islands” with the aim of creating, through an educational program, a group of students who will become “guardians” of Ponza (Latium region) and Sant’Antioco (Sardinia region). Through thematic events and focused lessons, where the students are able to interact with experts on the island’s resources, the project aimed to promote a greater awareness and sense of responsibility for the territory. Among the results achieved, the organization created a synergy between the schools and the different environmental themes, with special attention to the subject of Italy’s biodiversity. The project received further funding in 2012, 2014, 2015 and in 2016.

Marevivo’s efforts also focused on the promotion of renewable energy to achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. In 2012, the NaEPF has supported the special project “Promoting an International Call for Competition on Renewable Energies in Italy’s Minor Islands” with the aim of generating ideas and proposals for the use of renewable energy sources in the specific context of Italy’s Minor Islands. The specific reference to the Minor Islands was a groundbreaking element within the energy production scenario, as it aimed to extend access to renewable energy sources to areas characterized by an extremely valuable landscape, often subject to protection and restrictive regulations. The Call was addressed to architects, engineers, industrial designers, professional practices and design firms to promote the proper integration of technologies related to energy production from renewable sources within the landscape and architectural context.

Over the years, the NaEPF has been continuously supporting Marevivo in its projects and campaigns on protection and enhancement of the marine ecosystem: from environmental education projects such as “Dolphins as Guardians of the Islands” and “NauticinBlu”; to the fight against pollution with “Mare Mostro” campaign; and conservation of biodiversity across advocacy actions and petitions on the main dedicated platforms. Through its actions at Italian and European parliamentary level and thanks to its institutional lobbying activity, Marevivo achieved many important goals such as the abolition of driftnets and the practice of finning, the adoption of a Posidonia oceanica legal protection, the institution of Marine Protected Areas, and the draft law “Salva-Mare”. The NaEPF will continue to support Marevivo in pursuit of the common objective of achieving a harmonious relationship between humans and nature.