COP 28 Momentum: Leaning into a just transition away from fossil fuels
Global negotiations on climate change are absolutely necessary. The outcomes and decisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COPs) send important signals to the world, “responsible for keeping international efforts to address climate change on track.” The actual process undertaken during COPs is complex, requiring consensus on all decisions among 198 parties. During COP 28, 30 November to 12 December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), negotiations navigated moments of tension to result in a landmark headway for a much-needed transition to a just transition away from fossil fuels
Land Sea Interactions Case in the Mediterranean: Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Planning in Turkey
Coastal areas are sensitive areas that contain rich natural resource potential and biodiversity, offer important economic opportunities for society, and are under development pressure. Coastal areas, which have been areas of economic and cultural contact between countries where societies have settled and civilizations have developed throughout history, are now used for urban uses, industries, energy terminals, shipyards, second homes, tourism, recreation, maritime trade and transportation, fishing, etc., under the influence of coastalization tendencies. These are regions where activities compete to choose a location
Mahmoud Elyes Hamza, new director of SPA/RAC
Mahmoud Elyes Hamza obtained his doctorate from the Institut national agronomique Paris-Grignon (INA P-G) in 1987. He began his teaching career in 1988 at the Institut national agronomique de Tunisie (INAT).
Between 2007 and 2009, he was Director of the Institut supérieur des études préparatoires en biologie et géologie (ISEP-BG) in La Soukra, before becoming Director of INAT from 2009 to 2017
Genoa receives the 2023 edition of Istanbul Environment Friendly City Award
The Mediterranean coastal city of Genoa (Italy) is the winner of the fourth edition (2023) of the Istanbul Environment Friendly City Award. Mr. Mario Mascia, Councillor of Genoa Municipality for Urban Planning, Maritime State Property, and Economic Development received the award at a ceremony held during the Ministerial Session of the 23rd Meeting (COP 23) of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) on 7 December 2023 in Portoroz, Slovenia. The Award recognizes and highlights the role and efforts of local authorities of coastal cities in achieving sustainability in the Mediterranean context
Plan Bleu Workshop: Harmful Subsidies and the Mediterranean
Plan Bleu is organizing the workshop “Harmful Subsidies and the Mediterranean: Balancing Environmental Sustainability, Economy, and Equity” on January 30, 2024, in Marseille
INTEGRATED MARINE POLLUTION MONITORING PROGRAM (DEN-İZ) OF TÜRKIYE
The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has developed a common monitoring strategy for all our seas by adopting an integrated and ecosystem-based monitoring approach for all marines (Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Black Sea and Marmara Sea), and has implemented the “Integrated Marine Pollution Monitoring Program (DEN-İZ)” since 2011
The “One Health” approach
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Quadripartite recently launched a guide to help countries implement the “One Health” approach. The launch coincided with the first-ever Health Day at COP28 and a high-level ministerial meeting on climate and health
Euro-Med Weeks for Waste Reduction: check the winners!
MedWaves and ACR+ are thrilled to reveal the winners of call for actions of the first edition of the Euro-Med Weeks for Waste Reduction, funded by the EU through the SwitchMed Programme. 40 actions developers expressed their interest and submitted their proposals for action in the Mediterranean.
Let’s explore the 4 actions selected and to be implemented in 2024!
Plastic pollution, green procurement
In 2023, MedWaves partnered with three organisations in Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Albania to harness the power of Green Procurement and help local businesses and public institutions reduce their dependency from single-use plastic products.
A Low Plastic Zone (LPZ) initiative kicked off in July 2023 as a joint effort of MedWaves and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to help businesses in the Hotel, Restaurant and Café (HORECA) sector phase out single-use plastics within their organisations. MedWaves partnered with the Spanish Foundation Save the Med (STM) and Zero Waste Montenegro (ZWM) to co-develop the tools needed to standardise the approach of the LPZ initiative
Third Mediterranean Symposium on Ecology and Conservation of Marine and Coastal Bird Species
Join the Mediterranean Bird Symposium, a key platform for the exchange of knowledge and collaboration on bird conservation in the Mediterranean, on 13-15 Feb. 2024 in Djerba, Tunisia
Insights from the IMAP workshop in Libya
SPA/RAC and the Libyan Ministry of Environment organized a workshop on the implementation in Libya of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP) in Tripoli on 25 December 2023
WES and the “Policy support to address single-use plastic items in Lebanon”
The “WES in the ENI Southern Neighbourhood region’ project” ran from March 2021 to September 2023. The activity aims to contribute to the phase-out of single-use plastic (SUP) items.
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Industry of Lebanon
opportunities
