Importance of Regional Cooperation in the speech of the UNEP/MAP Coordinator
During the 8th panel, held on June 11 at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, leaders from island nations, least developed countries, and coastal States called for accelerated action, stronger accountability, and climate-resilient solutions to protect shared marine resources and the communities that depend on them.
UNOC3 – Panel 8: urging Greater Action
Accountability in Protecting Shared Marine Resources at the Panel “Promoting and Supporting All Forms of Cooperation, Especially at the Regional and Subregional Level”. This was the key message that emerged during the 8th panel held on 12th June, organized as part of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice.
In this context, leaders from island nations, least developed countries, and coastal States urged accelerated action, stronger accountability, and climate-resilient solutions to protect shared marine resources and the communities that depend on them.
INFO/RAC at UNOC3 2025
From 9 to 13 June 2025, INFO/RAC participated in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC2025) held in Nice.
On 10 June, the day dedicated to the Mediterranean Sea, a video celebrating the birth of the UNEP/MAP–Barcelona Convention was presented. The video, produced by INFO/RAC, is a tribute to the contribution of UNEP/MAP, which over the years has been committed to turning decisions into action through the effective implementation of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols. This has been a key prerequisite for enabling a green transition in the Mediterranean and for tackling the triple global crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Ocean Conference 2025: global action to protect the oceans
From 9 to 13 June 2025, 55 Heads of State and Government, along with 15,000 participants from civil society, business, and science, participated in the UN Ocean Conference co-hosted by the Governments of France and Costa Rica, including more than 450 side events, to accelerate action and mobilize all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.
Ten Ocean Action Panels produced forward-looking recommendations to guide implementation across key themes — from marine pollution and nature-based solutions to the role of women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples in ocean governance.
The Mediterranean Day at UNOC3 2025
On 10 June 2025, during the Third UN Ocean Conference, a special day was held entirely dedicated to the Mediterranean region. The event, jointly organized by Slovenia, France, Egypt, and Spain with support from UNEP/MAP, brought together ministers, high-level representatives, and the Executive Director of UNEP to commemorate two major milestones: the 50th anniversary of the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan and the 30th anniversary of the post-Rio amendment to the Barcelona Convention.
UNEP Executive Director Ms. Inger Andersen and Slovenia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, H.E. Jože Novak, delivered the opening remarks, underlining the importance of this milestone in Mediterranean environmental cooperation.
Mediterranean Day: the ministerial declaration
We, the Ministers of the Environment and heads of delegations of the Contracting Parties to the
Barcelona Convention, gathered today to reaffirm our common commitment to the protection and preservation of our Mediterranean Sea, an invaluable common good, as a regional contribution to the global efforts aiming at achieving SDG14.
We celebrate the 50 years of UNEP/MAP and the 30 years of Post Rio Barcelona Convention, appreciating their pioneer work and achievements and, as Contracting Parties to the Convention, commit to continue cooperating and act for the benefit of people and nature.
Wild Mediterranean: Cetaceans in Images, Protection in Action
“Wild Mediterranean: Cetaceans in Images, Protection in Action” is the title of a photographic exhibition organized by the ACCOBAMS Secretariat in collaboration with the association We Are Méditerranée and the Fédération des Groupements Français de Monaco.
The exhibition took place from 2 to 13 June in Monaco, at La Maison de France. It was organized as part of the ShiPrint project, funded by the Pelagos Initiative. The event aimed to raise public awareness about the impact of human activities—particularly maritime traffic—on cetaceans in the Mediterranean.
World Environment Day 2025
Turn the tide on plastic: this captures the essence of “Beat Plastic Pollution,” the theme of World Environment Day 2025.
The choice of this theme is due to the fact that plastic pollution has a profound impact on the triple planetary crisis: the climate crisis, the crisis of nature (including land degradation and biodiversity loss), and the crisis of pollution and waste.
Globally, it is estimated that each year 11 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in aquatic ecosystems, while microplastics accumulate in the soil due to sewage, landfills, and the use of plastics in agricultural products. The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution is estimated to range between 300 and 600 billion US dollars.
World Oceans Day: A Wonder to Sustain
On June 8, 2025, Nice will host the United Nations World Oceans Day. The event will take place just days before the United Nations Ocean Conference, scheduled from June 9 to 13, 2025.
These two major UN events represent an unprecedented opportunity to raise visibility and strengthen collaborative efforts in support of the ocean.
The ocean covers over 70% of the planet. It is essential to life — not only to human survival, but to that of every other organism on Earth. The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen, is home to the majority of Earth’s biodiversity, and provides the main source of protein for over one billion people worldwide. It also plays a key role in the global economy, with an estimated 40 million people expected to be employed in ocean-related sectors by 2030.
Yet, despite all these benefits, the ocean is in need of our support.
Green Finance in the Mediterranean: a summary Report
Plan Bleu has presented the summary of the report “Environmentally Friendly Economic and Financial Instruments: A Pathway to Sustainability in the Mediterranean.” The summary marks a first step toward the publication of the full report, scheduled for October 2025.
This article highlights the contributions of 13 Mediterranean experts who explore economic levers to address ecological and social challenges in the Mediterranean Sea region.
The first of its kind in the region, this work offers a fresh and practical perspective on economic instruments for sustainability. Topics covered include biodiversity financing, water resource management, carbon pricing, green bonds, air pollution, and the social impacts of the transition.
WES-BCA Project: 27 activities and awareness campaigns
The “Water and Environment Support – Biodiversity and Climate Action (WES-BCA) in the Southern Neighbourhood region” project presented 27 national and regional activities during the first Steering Committee Meeting (SCM), held on May 26, 2025, in Brussels.
The WES-BCA work plan was discussed among WES-BCA experts, the 16 Focal Points of the Environment and Water Ministries of the 8 Partner Countries (PCs) — Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia — as well as representatives from European Delegations, institutional partners (the Union for the Mediterranean and the Barcelona Convention), and various other stakeholders.
INFO/RAC at 14th Baltic Sea Subregional Meeting
From June 4 to 6, the 14th Baltic Sea Subregional Meeting on Environmental Impact Assessments in a Transboundary Context took place, bringing together 70 experts and representatives from the Baltic countries, the European Commission, the Secretariat of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), scientific institutions, and international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Barcelona Convention.
The meeting was organized by the General Directorate for Environmental Protection of Poland under the workplan of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA Protocol) for the period 2024–2026.