50th Anniversary
of the Barcelona Convention
Survey launched in preparation for the 4th Mediterranean MPA Forum
The 4th Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Forum will take place in Alexandria from 15 to 18 December 2026. In preparation for this key event, the Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC) and MedPAN have launched a survey to engage the Mediterranean MPA community and better understand the region’s priorities, experiences, and needs.
To support the preparation of the five thematic sessions, contributions can be made by completing a questionnaire. All contributions are essential to ensuring a strong and inclusive process in support of Mediterranean MPAs. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
New ARTEMIS Policy Recommendations
The document analyses the ecological, regulatory and financial aspects of the restoration of Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Mediterranean. Developed by The Green Tank and Plan Bleu, with contributions from all ARTEMIS partners, the publication analyses the ecological, regulatory and financial aspects related to the restoration of one of the Mediterranean’s most valuable marine ecosystems: Posidonia oceanica meadows. The document proposes 15 recommendations to transform policy objectives into concrete actions to scale up the restoration of Posidonia oceanica and other Mediterranean seagrass ecosystems.
SPAMI Day 2026
Two days of intense exchange and collaboration, during which scientists, experts, managers of marine protected areas, and partners shared experiences, presented practical solutions, and explored key challenges related to ecosystem restoration, effective protected area management, and the strengthening of regional cooperation.
Now in its fifth edition, SPAMI Day 2026, organized by SPA/RAC in collaboration with the Miramare Marine Protected Area, took place on 29–30 June in Trieste. The event brought together representatives of the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs), national authorities, regional organizations, researchers, and conservation practitioners from across the Mediterranean basin.
The WeMed Award is back: applications are now open
The WeMed Award (the Mediterranean Sustainability Award) returns for its fifth edition, with the aim of promoting an inclusive transition towards sustainability in the Mediterranean. The award is organised by MedWaves, the Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) of the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), and seeks to highlight sustainable businesses in their early and growth stages, with particular attention to the link between green and social innovation.
Applications must be submitted by 14:00 on 30 July 2026.
One Sea, One Vision: Scaling Partnerships for Mediterranean Transformation and Impact
From 23 to 25 June 2026, Tunis hosted the Fourth Annual Stocktaking Meeting of the GEF-UNEP Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme), a key milestone that marked the conclusion of an important cycle of regional cooperation and paved the way for the next phase of environmental action across the Mediterranean.
Funded by the GEF, the MedProgramme promoted integrated solutions across 10 Mediterranean countries to address shared challenges related to pollution reduction, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the sustainable management of natural resources.
New publication on Cartilaginous Fishes of the Mediterranean and Tunisia
Essential for the health of the Mediterranean Sea, cartilaginous fishes – sharks, rays and chimaeras – have experienced an alarming decline in their populations due to overfishing, habitat degradation, pollution and the increasing effects of climate change. To promote the conservation of cartilaginous fishes in the Mediterranean Sea, the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (SPA/RAC) developed the Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Chondrichthyan Species in the Mediterranean Sea, adopted in 2003. Since then, the Plan has undergone four revisions and updates, in order to incorporate the evolution of scientific knowledge and conservation priorities.
Mediterranean Most Resilient Port of the Year
Promoting safer, more sustainable ports capable of addressing the challenges of the future: this is the objective of the Award for Mediterranean Port Resilience, an initiative promoted by the MEDPorts Association in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean.
World Youth Skills Day: Young Mediterranean voices helping shape the future of environmental action
The 2026 edition of World Youth Skills Day, celebrated under the theme “Skills for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future”, recognizes the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, competencies and leadership skills needed to address today’s global challenges. Alongside technical expertise, the United Nations emphasizes the value of communication, collaboration, civic engagement and the ability to turn knowledge into meaningful action. These principles are increasingly being translated into practice across the Barcelona Convention system.
PNNR MER: Seamounts and deep species
In the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, at over 2,000 meters below the surface, seamounts reveal a world that until recently we were unable to see. Thanks to a Work Class ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), used as part of the PNRR MER project, a true “robotic vehicle,” research by ISPRA is able to enter these environments and closely observe the species that inhabit them: fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, and cartilaginous fish. In extreme conditions, life finds surprising solutions, such as large eyes, wide mouths, large body sizes, or long fins used like a tripod, creating shapes and behaviors that tell the story of the strength of these mysterious ecosystems.
