The UfM Secretariat marks important steps to protect the Mediterranean Sea from pollution

Barcelona, 4 December, 2013. On the sidelines of 18th Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the UN Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, taking place in Istanbul from 3 to 6 December 2013, the Secretariat of the UfM organized a joint side-event with Med POL (the marine pollution assessment and control component of the United Nations Environment Programme – Mediterranean Action Plan) and the EEA (European Environment Agency) on ‘The implementation of depollution regional and national action plans’.

With the aim of contributing to the efforts undertaken by the Horizon 2020 initiative, the event highlighted the findings of a study conducted by the UfM Secretariat to identify specific projects to prevent, abate and combat pollution of the Mediterranean Sea. The study, which is complementary to other investigative initiatives led by UNEP/MAP, EIB, EEA and the European Commission, contains an updated list of depollution investment projects necessary to meet the depollution requirements, which provides a useful source for the selection of flagship projects that the UfM Secretariat will support towards implementation.

In addition to the side-event, newly instated Deputy Secretary General for Environment and Water, Dr. Shaddad Attili, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UNEP-MAP for the Barcelona Convention in order to define specific common areas and consolidate joint efforts in the work undertaken by the two institutions. Complementing the actions in the area of depollution, the MoU also aims to establish closer collaboration in the areas of Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, Integrated Coastal Zone Management, as well as Sustainable Urban Development.