The Mediterranean region has more than 25 million hectares of forests and about 50 million hectares of other wooded lands. Protected forest areas cover 9 million hectares, representing 4.3 percent of the region’s total surface area. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) will launch a project to restore biodiversity in the Mediterranean through forest and landscape restoration, on 1 April at the 6th Mediterranean Forest week (Lebanon) Barcelona, 20 March 2019. The Mediterranean basin is the world’s second largest biodiversity hotspot: rich in plant diversity containing some 25 000-plant… read more
If nothing is changed by 2050, water-related issues with an impact on agriculture, health, and incomes could lower the GDP of the Middle East and North Africa region by 6-14%[1]. 3 out of 4 jobs worldwide are water-dependent [2], yet 50 million jobs should be created in the next decade to absorb the growing labour supply in the Mediterranean region. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has led the development of a regional Water Agenda and a financial strategy to help achieve access to water for all. Barcelona, 19 March 2019. The Mediterranean region is one of the 25 “hotspots” impacted… read more
The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, participated in the Ministerial Meeting of the WestMED initiative, which took place today in Algiers. The WestMED initiative seeks to promote specific measures to secure a sustainable development of the maritime economy in ten Western Mediterranean countries. The UfM is closely associated to the initiative to ensure coherence and synergies with the broader Mediterranean Blue Economy agenda. Algiers, 4 December, 2018. Ministers of the Western Mediterranean countries, together with the European Commission and the Union for the Mediterranean, adopted today a declaration to strengthen regional cooperation on the WestMED… read more
This is the 3rd Meeting of Environmental Journalists of News Agencies of the Mediterranean, promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Barcelona, 14 November 2018 (UfM/IUCN-Med) – Around 50 environmental journalists and scientists from 20 countries in the Mediterranean basin, researchers and experts in the field, NGOs, and international institutions are meeting on the 13th and 14th of November at the 3rd Meeting of Environmental Journalists of Mediterranean News Agencies, at the UfM headquarters, in Barcelona. The event is promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the… read more
The Secretariat of UfM hosted the BLUEMED Week on 23–25 October, during which national delegates, the European Commission and stakeholders met to advance an integrated Mediterranean research agenda on Blue Economy The BLUEMED Initiative seeks to contribute to the creation of new ‘blue’ jobs, social well-being and a sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors Barcelona, 23-25 October 2018. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) hosted the BLUEMED Week at its premises in Barcelona on 23-25 October, a three-day event aiming at promoting the blue economy through cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea . The BLUEMED Week hosted the Second Meeting of the… read more
Hosted by the OECD, the UfM organised the second Task Force meeting on Financial Strategy on water issues for enhancing investment and sustainable development in the Mediterranean Paris, 9 July 2018. The Mediterranean region is one of the most water-scarce areas in the world with more than more than 180 million people being considered water poor. Promoting regional partnerships and creating sustainable cooperation mechanisms on water use is needed to reverse this downward spiral. In line with the mandate given by the UfM Ministers for Water (April 2017) to develop the UfM Water Agenda and a Financial Strategy and the… read more
The UfM Secretariat is currently developing a strategy to implement the UfM Water Agenda with a view to enhancing regional cooperation in the field, thus contributing to an integrated water management in the UfM region. Ramallah, 28 June 2018. In line with the framework of the UfM Water Agenda and with a view to enhancing cooperation and ensuring coherence with relevant partners and initiatives in the UfM region, the UfM actively participated in the 1st Palestine International Water Forum, held on 25-28 June 2018, in Ramallah. The Forum, held under the title ‘Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM): Best Practices and… read more
26 June 2018 – « We stress the importance of structuring Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in marine and maritime sectors to encompass a broad range of objectives comprising the creation of new, blue jobs and social well-being while also being mindful of sustainable development and the preservation of the environment in the Mediterranean area » declared at La Valletta UfM R&I Ministers, together with the EU Commissioners, a year ago. After the set-up of the Group of Senior Officials BLUEMED Working Group as new governing body of the BLUEMED Initiative (February 2018), the first operative steps towards the realization of the Valletta declaration are now taking place with the first BLUEMED National Consultation Days being organized by non-EU Countries (25-27 June and 3-6… read more
The BlueMed initiative is launching a new Call for Start-up Action. The Start-up Actions represent concrete opportunities to explore innovative, knowledge-based pathways and forward-looking visions with a multidisciplinary, mission-oriented approach, for further uptake and developments. The BlueMed initiative is one of the main line of actions within the UfM Ministerial on Blue Economy. Addressed to entities who are willing to partner up with at least three other organisations from different countries, including one non-EU country and one private enterprise, the Call will fund the organization of a series of meetings leading up to a feasibility, foresight or pilot study on topics… read more
17 April 2018. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the areas most affected by marine litter in the world. The impact of this pollution on marine biota within marine protected areas, including on endangered species, remains poorly addressed. However, it is clear that prevention and mitigation measures are urgently needed…. read more
