The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME) met with experts at the 3rd Brainstorming Meeting to further discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drinking water and sanitation. 19 May 2020. The provision of safe water, sanitation and hygienic conditions is essential for protecting human health during all infectious disease outbreaks, including of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), especially in some areas of the Euro-Mediterranean region, already under stress due to the water scarcity caused by the climate crisis. Together with the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME), the UfM held the 3rd virtual working session on the… read more
Much attention is being paid to what the ‘new norm’ will look like as crisis management of the pandemic moves increasingly to recovery policies and stimuli. Within this context, the Union for the Mediterranean’s recent webinar explored two questions on many young people’s minds – where will the opportunities be and what skills will I need in the post-COVID world? 20 May 2020 – The overall socio-economic impact of COVID-19 is yet to be fully determined. But one thing seems clear: the current crisis will affect the economy and jobs in unprecedented ways and we will all have to adapt…. read more
The first UfM webinar gathered different youth representatives to highlight the Euro-Mediterranean Youth voluntary response during the Coronavirus crisis 14 May 2020. How are youth volunteers responding to COVID-19? How are local or regional organisations in the Euro-Mediterranean region mobilizing youth to respond to the pandemic? To answer these questions and many more, the UfM gathered different youth voluntary organisers including international, regional and local organisations and NGOs from the ufM Member States. The webinar called “the Euro-Mediterranean Youth voluntary response to the COVID-19 crisis” saw the opening of the UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel who stressed the fact that… read more
The exercise will point to energy efficient solutions, using a new online tool developed by the Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency together with United for Efficiency. By incorporating efficiency into existing and planned infrastructure systems, costs can be controlled, service delivery can be improved and access expanded without necessarily adding to the cost of the service. 18 May 2020. The Mediterranean local communities play a key role in the energy transition. Cities are in the best position to take action on the ground and meet local needs in order to address a growing energy demand, the climate emergency and the… read more
The UfM strengthens collaborative efforts to address the impacts of pollution together with the UN Environment Program / Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP). 13-14 May 2020. The Mediterranean Sea is the most polluted European sea with 200 thousand tons of plastic dumped each year. Also, air pollution from ships in the Mediterranean causes up to 6,000 deaths per year. Both sources of pollution were tackled during the UNEP 21st Meeting of the Members of the Steering Committee of Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development on 13-14 May 2020. With the participation of the UfM, the discussions focused on marine litter, biodiversity, marine protected areas and coastal management, as well as… read more
Mediterranean countries share water emergency and recovery plans to tackle the aftermath of COVID-19
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME) met with experts from Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Palestine, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey to share their response to the water emergency and provide policy recommendations on how to move forward. Participants agreed that providing sustainable water access is essential for many jobs and discussed their emergency and recovery plans to help water utility operators cope with the crisis. Over 250 million people are expected to be “water poor” within the next 20 years in the Euro-Mediterranean region, with numbers potentially exacerbated by the COVID-19… read more
29 April 2020. UfM took stock of Covid-19 challenges and best practices in housing at a virtual meeting hosted by the Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, on Wednesday, 29 April 2020. “Exchange of best practices and policy transfers in inclusive, adequate and sustainable housing during this pandemic will also help build resilience, in particular to climate change, in the Mediterranean.” Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, Leilani Farha, explained that under international human rights law the right to adequate housing covers measures that are needed to prevent homelessness, prohibit forced evictions, address discrimination, focus on the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, ensure security of… read more
The ANIMA Investment Network, in collaboration with the UfM and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), is holding this month a series of workshops to help develop investments that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Mediterranean region. 28 April 2020. Increasing investments that contribute to the SDGs can be a development enabler: it can create jobs, build skills, spur innovation, provide essential infrastructure and services and boost economies. The ANIMA Investment Network, in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) as well as other partners, organised the first session of the online workshop called “Developing Investments that Contribute to… read more
The UfM Member States gave their unanimous support to the ENI CBC Med Programme in December 2019, to fund initiatives on climate change, business and SMEs, innovation, social inclusion , waste management and the fight against poverty 23 April 2020. The UfM-supported ENI CBC Med Programme will fund 22 new projects with a view to producing long-lasting effects and fostering significant change in key thematic areas such as start-ups development, reinforcement of Euro-Mediterranean economic clusters, technology transfer, employability of young people and women, waste management and energy efficiency. With an investment of €69 million in funding and a total budget worth €78.8 million,… read more
The UfM participated in the EU International Ocean Governance Forum, launched by the European Commission in association with the European External Action Service to provide a platform for dialogue on ocean challenges and governance solutions 23-24 April 2020. The International Ocean Governance (IOG) Forum took place online on 23-24 of April to further strengthen international ocean governance for the sustainable use of oceans and seas and the shift to the blue economy. With the participation of the UfM Deputy Secretary General, Isidro González Afonso and UfM Head of Sector, Alessandra Sensi, the core of the debate was the degradation of marine ecosystems and the related economic and social… read more
