Introduction to MSSD water related indicators

Released	30/03/2007

What is the MSSD?

The Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development is a Framework for Environmental Sustainability and Shared Prosperity. It has been adopted in November 2005 by the 21 countries of the Barcelona Convention. One of the priority is related to "better management of water resources and demand". Five priority indicators have been agreed with the contracting parties:

• WAT_P01: Water efficiency index (total and per sector with reference objectives)
• WAT_P02: Water demand (total and by sector) and compared to GDP
  
• WAT_P03: Exploitation index of renewable water resources
• WAT_P04: Proportion of the population with access to safe drinking-water (total, urban, rural) with reference to MDGs
• WAT_P05: Proportion of the population with access to sanitation (total, urban, rural) with reference to MDGs
  

Definitions and methodological notes have been prepared by Plan Bleu (in charge of following the progress of the MSSD implementation).

Why a priority topic on MDG7-T10

• The MSSD corresponds to one of the priority topics for the feasibility study on the setting up of a Med water observatory mechanism:
• • “the Euro-Mediterranean Water Directors agreed on the «Study.. the feasibility of creating, within EMWIS, a water observation mechanism in the Mediterranean, tracking the achievement of ..... the “water” component of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development, ..."
    

• WAT_P04 and WAT_P05 will be studied within the priority on the MDG7-T10
• WAT_P03 will be studied within the priority on Water Scarcity and Drought
  
• Moreover, this topic is characteristic of the difficulty to get homogeneous data, this mainly due to:
• • Identiccation of relevant national data information sources;
  • Lack of appropriation of definitions of  indicators (approved at the regional level only in November 2005)