Parliamentarian’s guide to protecting the Mediterranean Sea and coast
The published “Parliamentarian’s guide to protecting the Mediterranean Sea and coast” is aimed at members of parliament serving in the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the protection of the marine environment and the coastal region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention), namely 21 Mediterranean countries and the European Union. This new publication is the product of a collaboration between the Mediterranean Action Plan of UNEP (UNEP/MAP) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM)
International Day for Biodiversity (IDB)
The International Day for Biodiversity (IDB) is celebrated every year on 22 May. This universal observance commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 22 May 1992 and provides a unique opportunity to foster wide support for the Convention, its Protocols and related action frameworks.
The Theme of Biodiversity Day 2024: “Be part of the Plan“
World Environment day
5 June is #WorldEnvironmentDay! This year is all about accelerating action on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.
Join #GenerationRestoration and help kickstart a global movement. Together, let’s restore and safeguard our land and soil. www.worldenvironmentday.global
WeMed Award 2024
applications are now open!
It is now possible to apply for the WeMed Award 2024.
Applications are open from the 26th of April to the 19th of May.
This current fourth edition, funded by the SwitchMed Programme, is addressed to entrepreneurs or companies in the Blue Economy sector that have integrated environmental and social values into their business models, in addition to having developed an economically viable business model and that are constituted in a Southern Mediterranean country (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia)
Plan Bleu publishes an explanatory video on subsidies that are harmful to the environment
Dr. Constatin Tsakas, Chief Economist at Plan Bleu, presents subsidies that are harmful to the environment. These government financial incentives intended to support the economy often have unintended ecological consequences. This issue is of particular importance for Mediterranean countries, a region rich in biodiversity, with delicate marine ecosystems and a crucial role in climate regulation.
Watch the video
Visit by University of Malta Biological Sciences Students
On April 24 REMPEC welcomed BSc (Biological Sciences) students from the University of Malta to share with them the work done by the Centre with the objective to contribute to preventing and reducing pollution from ships and combating pollution in case of emergency in the Mediterranean Sea
EU Copernicus Ocean State Report recognised under the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters” Charter
The EU Copernicus Ocean State Report has been recognised as an action under the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” Charter. This recognition underscores the importance of the Copernicus Marine Service in achieving the objectives of the Mission Ocean and Waters initiative. It also highlights the importance of the Ocean State Report as a valuable document for scientists, members of the blue economy, decision makers, and the public, providing a comprehensive overview on the state of the ocean
MEDPAN regional workshop on tourism management in Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs)
On April 16 and 17 in La Londe-les-Maures (France), Plan Bleu co-hosted the session “Strengthening climate resilience in Mediterranean MPA tourism” to present the impacts of climate change on MPAs, and the sector coastal tourism. Plan Bleu also presented the results of its study “Four scenarios for coastal tourism in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur by 2050“, financed by ADEME PACA. This event made it possible to diagnose and envisage a sustainable future and stories for regional coastal tourism. Read the report
LIFE Calls for proposals 2024
As the EU’s flagship initiative for funding environmental and climate actions, the LIFE Programme is your opportunity to turn your ideas into reality – and if your project proposal is successful, you’ll be in for a share of the €571 million available this year. The LIFE Calls for proposals 2024 have been published on the Funding & tender opportunities portal on 18 April 2024
Med Monk seal Project: Enhancing knowledge and awareness on monk seal in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean monk seals are primarily found in the eastern Mediterranean and the northeast Atlantic region of northwest Africa. Over the past two decades, sightings of the species have increased in areas far from the eastern population, such as the Adriatic Sea (Albania, Croatia, and Italy), and in southeastern part of the basin (Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Egypt).
The Med Monk Seal project, coordinated by SPA/RAC, supports Mediterranean efforts to monitor the Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus across the region
Blue Economy – The key towards Mediterranean regional Sustainability
The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership’s workshop “Blue Economy – The key towards Mediterranean regional Sustainability“, is part of the POSIDONIA International Shipping Exhibition in Athens in June 2024. The Partnership is committed to engaging key actors from academia, industry, government and civil society. 7 June 2024, Metropolitan Expo, Athens, Greece
World Ocean Day
We currently face one of the greatest threats ever to our blue planet and all its inhabitants: the climate crisis. It is all too clear that we need a healthy ocean for a healthy climate, and vice versa, and we need significantly stronger local, national, and international action from both government and corporate leaders.
For 2024, a new multi-year action theme has been launched: Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate. By growing the movement through transformative collaboration, we aim to create not only a healthy blue planet, but also a more just, equitable and sustainable society
opportunities
