UfM launches study to protect the Mediterranean Sea from pollution

A study to prevent, abate and combat pollution of the Mediterranean Sea will be conducted by the UfM Secretariat. The results and findings of the study will contribute to the comprehensive assessment of the current situation of depollution in the Mediterranean.

The launching workshop of the study entitled “Update priority investment portfolio for protecting the Mediterranean Sea from Pollution”, to be conducted by the Union for the Mediterranean and concluded by the end of 2013, took place at the UfM headquarters, in Barcelona, on 22 February. The main purpose of the study is to update investment needs towards pollution reduction targets in the perspective 2020-2025.

The meeting was the occasion to present the preliminary findings of the UfM’s study, as well as the main activities planned until next autumn. It also gave the opportunity to discuss countries’ involvement and collect information from relevant water and environment stakeholders.

The UfM study will complement two other studies conducted in parallel by the United Nations Environment Programme - Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP-MAP) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) with an aim to evaluate the implementation of depollution projects in the Mediterranean. They will provide recommendations on the way forward, taking into account the need for coherence, synergy and joint effective action among different actors and their respective programmes and initiatives in this field. The outputs of the three studies will contribute to revise the UNEP-MAP Depollution Strategic Action Program and National Action Plans as well as to define the second phase of H2020 initiative.

The workshop brought together coordinating partners, namely the European Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme - Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP-MAP), the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as regional Institutions and IFIs involved in the Depollution of the Mediterranean agenda.