50th Anniversary of the Barcelona Convention
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Celebrating 50 Years of the Barcelona Convention
A new historic milestone has arrived for the Mediterranean: after last year’s 50th anniversary of UNEP/MAP, 2026 will mark the half-century of the Barcelona Convention, adopted on 16 February 1976. To commemorate this important occasion, the pan-Mediterranean digital campaign Odyssey Reloaded continues and is renewed. The initiative, launched last year to celebrate 50 years of UNEP/MAP, now resumes its virtual journey across the Mediterranean, with events and activities involving institutions, local communities, and citizens in a shared path supporting the protection of the Mare Nostrum.
Alien Species: Portuguese Man o’ War spotted in Favignana
In recent days, a specimen of Physalia physalis, the Portuguese Man o’ War, has been reported. The sighting occurred in Italy, near Favignana, in the Egadi Islands.
This is not the first time this species has been observed in the Mediterranean Sea: in recent years, this tropical species has been reported mainly in Sardinia, the Pelagie Islands, and along the Messina coast.
According to experts from ISPRA, the Portuguese Man o’ War “is a colonial hydrozoan of Atlantic origin, which can reach the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar, carried by currents.”
The “Tunisia Towards 30×30” Project officially launched
The project “Tunisia Towards 30×30” was officially launched in Tunis on February 13. Its objective is to strengthen and expand Marine and Coastal Protected Areas (MCPAs) and improve their effective management.
Tunisia is a country that hosts rich marine and coastal biodiversity. With protected areas currently covering less than 3% of its marine territory, the country has considerable potential to strengthen its protection network and contribute to the 30×30 target of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
INFO/RAC at the ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee
INFO/RAC participated in the seventeenth meeting of the ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee (SC17), the first of the 2026–2028 triennium, held from 4 to 5 February in Tunis. The meeting brought together experts to guide ACCOBAMS’ scientific work over the next three years. Key topics included the definition of activities and working groups for the triennium, as well as the main scientific priorities, including the second ACCOBAMS Monitoring Initiative, the strengthening of data sharing through NETCCOBAMS, the mitigation of ship strikes and underwater noise, and the promotion of responsible whale-watching practices.
Urban and Coastal Water Management through Nature-Based
Mediterranean urban and coastal areas are facing increasingly complex water challenges, exacerbated by climate change, growing urbanization, and ecosystem degradation. In response to these pressures, Plan Bleu has released a new policy brief examining the potential of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as integrated, sustainable, and socially inclusive approaches to managing water-related risks. Drawing on six regional case studies, the publication highlights the importance of embedding NbS within policy and planning frameworks, while promoting participatory governance and a long-term perspective. The findings show that well-designed NbS can strengthen territorial resilience and deliver multiple co-benefits for both ecosystems and local communities.
European Ocean Days
The European Ocean Days will take place in Brussels starting on 2 March. Over the course of one week, the event will host a series of meetings focused on key ocean-related issues. Now in its third edition and inspired by the European Ocean Pact, the initiative will bring together industry leaders, start-ups, investors, policymakers, scientists, SMEs, representatives from fisheries and aquaculture, islands and coastal communities, the Ocean and Waters Mission community, and civil society, including young people. Participants will engage in consultations, roundtables, workshops and community events aimed at exchanging ideas, discussing future challenges, scaling up innovative solutions and defining a shared path towards concrete actions in support of the implementation of the European Ocean Pact.
MED 2050 now available in Greek
The summary of the report, “The Mediterranean by 2050: a foresight study by Plan Bleu”, is now also available in Greek. Following the publication of the report in French and English, and its summary in French, English, and Arabic, this Greek version aims to expand access to the MED2050 work and strengthen regional dialogue on possible transition pathways toward desirable futures. The publication is the result of a collaboration between Plan Bleu and experts from across the Mediterranean basin. It represents a milestone in understanding the sustainable development challenges facing the Mediterranean region and offers future perspectives for the next thirty years.
Sharing Knowledge Across the Adriatic
Within the framework of the “Space Data for Climate Action” project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, a meeting was held in Split between PAP/RAC and eight representatives of the Flag Pine organization from Vlorë, Albania. The meeting was facilitated by PINUS NIGRA and Zdravi Gr
Nature protection 1, harmful investments 30
Funding for Nature -base Solutions is still limited at the global level
A clear imbalance emerges from the new report by UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme: for every US dollar the world invests in protecting nature, as much as 30 dollars are spent destroying it. The report “The State of Finance for Nature 2026“, which uses data from 2023, tracks global finance flows to NbS, the Nature-base Solutions.
