UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention

Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (30x30) calls for conserving at least 30 per cent of land, inland waters, coastal and marine areas by 2030. Achieving this means not only expanding protection, but also ensuring that protected areas are effectively managed, ecologically connected and equitably governed. Regional cooperation can help make this happen.   If you are at CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, join us for our side event, “From Regional Action to Global Targets: Regional Seas Delivering on GBF Target 3 (30x30) from Coast to High Seas”.   📅 Thursday, 29 October 2026 🕐 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. AMT (UTC+4) 📍 Shaki - Marie Khan Women’s Caucus Meeting Room   What to expect: A high-level panel, “Three Regions, Three Lessons: Effective Management, Connectivity and Governance”, with practical examples of how Regional Seas already contribute to Target 3. Other regions can replicate and scale them before 2030. Stronger links between global biodiversity and ocean governance, with the BBNJ Agreement, ecological connectivity between national waters and areas beyond national jurisdiction, and the implementation of ABMTs. A presentation of UNEP-WCMC’s introductory e-course on marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. New partnerships among Parties, Regional Seas, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, scientists and civil society for MPAs and OECMs.    See the full programme and speakers here: https://lnkd.in/d2cZfPAU We hope to see you there.   #CBDCOP17 #COP17Armenia #TakingActionForNature #RegionalSeasProgramme #BiodiversityAction HELCOM - Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission CCAMLR Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) UNEP COBSEA OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic UNEP - Cartagena Convention Secretariat and Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention PERSGA PAME ONU Environnement - Convention d’Abidjan COMISION PERMANENTE DEL PACIFICO SUR OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (30x30) calls for conserving at least 30 per cent of land, inland waters, coastal and marine areas by 2030. Achieving this means not only expanding protection, but also ensuring that protected areas are effectively managed, ecologically connected and equitably governed. Regional cooperation can help make this happen. If you are at CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, join us for “From Regional Action to Global Targets: Regional Seas Delivering on GBF Target 3 (30x30) from Coast to High Seas.” 📅 Thursday, 29 October | 1:15–2:45 p.m AMT (UTC+4) 📍 Shaki–Marie Khan Women’s Caucus Meeting Room   What is on the programme? ✔️ Practical examples of how regional legal frameworks, protected area management and marine spatial planning support Target 3. The event also looks at ecological connectivity between national waters and areas beyond national jurisdiction, links with the BBNJ Agreement, and opportunities for stronger partnerships, capacity-building, knowledge sharing and financing. ✔️ A presentation of UNEP-WCMC’s introductory e-course on marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. ✔️ The 18 Regional Seas, covering more than 146 countries, offer established frameworks for cooperation. By building on these, countries can strengthen conservation within national waters and improve links with action in areas beyond national jurisdiction under the BBNJ Agreement.   #CBDCOP17 #COP17Armenia #TakingActionForNature #RegionalSeasProgramme #BiodiversityAction HELCOM - Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission CCAMLR Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) UNEP COBSEA OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention PERSGA ONU Environnement - Convention d’Abidjan COMISION PERMANENTE DEL PACIFICO SUR Nairobi Convention Secretariat

Athens marks #UNDay at Acropolis and Syntagma Square   Athens commemorated today United Nations Day atop the Acropolis and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honouring the organization’s 81st anniversary. The commemoration ceremony started with the raising of the Greek and UN flags on the Acropolis at sunrise, a symbolic gesture underscoring Greece's enduring commitment to the principles of the United Nations. A wreath-laying ceremony followed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, attended by dignitaries that included the representative of the Government of Greece, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anastasios Chatzivasileiou, the representative of the Regional Governor of Attica, Special Advisor for Press and Communications, Konstantinos Zompos and the Coordinator of UNEP/MAP, Lead United Nations Agency in Greece, Tatjana Hema. On behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Ms Hema read his statement on UN Day: “Now is the time to reaffirm the values that gave birth to the United Nations: Dialogue over division. Cooperation over confrontation. Solidarity over fear.” Full speech: https://lnkd.in/dhekBrb

🌍 Advancing sustainable development across the Mediterranean   The 27th Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD), chaired by MCSD President Mr. Maktit, took place in Athens, Greece, following the adoption of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) 2026–2035 at #COP24Med.   Discussions focused on translating the Strategy into concrete action, strengthening regional cooperation and national ownership, and mobilizing the partnerships and resources needed to deliver its objectives.   Key priorities included:   🔹 Strengthening the role of the MSSD and MCSD as regional frameworks for cooperation on sustainable development. 🔹 Expanding partnerships, including with the private sector, and promoting the meaningful engagement of women and youth. 🔹 Reactivating the MCSD working groups on Ocean Finance, Circular Economy and Marine Spatial Planning, while exploring a new working group on women and youth. 🔹 Mobilizing adequate financing for the MSSD and its flagship initiatives, and strengthening monitoring through updated indicators and more active reporting by MCSD Members.   The Steering Committee also provided guidance on the implementation of the new MSSD flagship initiatives and discussed environmentally friendly economic instruments and financing approaches presented by Plan Bleu, the Regional Activity Centre.   OceanCare presented the report by the BC3 - Basque Centre for Climate Change, “Allocation of the Remaining Carbon Budget to Mediterranean Countries,” prompting a constructive discussion on how the regulatory and policy framework of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) and the #BarcelonaConvention could support this process.   The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing the Strategy’s implementation and guiding the Secretariat’s work in the months ahead.   📅 The 28th MCSD Steering Committee meeting is planned for the second week of April 2027 in Athens, ahead of the 22nd MCSD meeting in June 2027.

High-Level Meeting celebrating the 50th anniversary of REMPEC in Malta UNEP/MAP Coordinator Tatjana Hema joined Ministers, representatives of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, and partners at the High-Level Meeting celebrating the 50th anniversary of REMPEC under the theme “Our Mediterranean – Our Responsibility”. The Meeting featured keynote addresses by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Domínguez, UNEP/MAP Coordinator Tatjana Hema, H.E. Dr Miriam Dalli, Minister for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour of Malta, and H.E. Dr Chris Bonett, Minister for Sustainable Mobility of Malta. In her keynote address to the Meeting, Ms. Hema referred to the recent fiftieth anniversaries of UNEP/MAP and REMPEC as two milestones in one Mediterranean journey, referring to REMPEC as a successfull story and great achievement of the 22 Parties to the Barcelona Convention, UNEP and IMO. The MAP Coordinator highlighted the role of the UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention system as a framework that brings Mediterranean countries together through dialogue, knowledge-sharing, solidarity and collective action. Reminding the participants that the Mediterranean cannot be effectively protected by individual countries acting alone and underscored the value of Mediterranean cooperation in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity loss and emerging pressures from a rapidly transforming maritime sector she said that since our challenges are shared, therefore, our responses must also be shared.” As REMPEC enters its sixth decade, the anniversary provides an opportunity to build on five decades of cooperation and achievements, including the designation of the Mediterranean Sea as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and Particulate Matter (Med SOx ECA), while continuing efforts to protect the Mediterranean Sea and address emerging environmental challenges.

The UNEP/MAP Coordinator participated in the 2nd Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Ministerial Meeting on Water in Rome, where ministers and high-level representatives adopted the Second UfM Ministerial Declaration on Water. https://lnkd.in/dHjRRVfM UNEP/MAP welcomes the Declaration’s renewed commitment to strengthening water resilience, advancing the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus, and enhancing regional cooperation across the Mediterranean. We particularly welcome the recognition that water pollution remains a major threat to both human health and ecosystems, as well as the call for strengthened pollution prevention and control measures, including action on wastewater, industrial effluents, microplastics, and persistent and emerging pollutants. UNEP/MAP also welcomes the launch of the Rome Initiative on Water, which will support capacity development, investment planning, and the implementation of sustainable water projects across the region, looking forward to maximizing collaboration with UfM, while ensuring coherence and mutual reinforcement with the region’s commitments and ongoing work under the UNEP/MAP–Barcelona Convention and its Protocols (www.unepmap.org).  

On Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day, we celebrate the progress made across the Mediterranean towards the global 30x30 target while recognizing the need to accelerate action. Mediterranean countries have demonstrated sustained political commitment through the Portorož, Nice and Cairo Ministerial Declarations, reaffirming their determination to halt biodiversity loss and protect our shared sea. At UNEP/MAP, we are working with our Contracting Parties and partners to advance a common regional vision for achieving 30x30. Through SAPBIO, the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD), its flagship initiatives, and the EU-funded SEMPA Project, we support countries in strengthening existing MPAs, identifying new MPAs, and advancing effective area-based conservation across the region. Together with SPA/RAC, GFCM, IMO, scientific institutions, civil society and regional organizations, we are promoting a coordinated approach to marine conservation in the Mediterranean. Achieving 30x30 is about more than expanding protected areas. It means ensuring that MPAs are effectively managed, ecologically representative and well connected, delivering lasting benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience and coastal communities. On this #MPADay, let us reaffirm our shared commitment to a healthy, resilient and biodiversity-rich Mediterranean Sea for present and for future generations. #BarcelonaConvention

Applications are now open for the 5th edition of the WeMed Award!   The UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP/RAC-MedWaves), has launched the 2026 edition of the WeMed Award, a flagship initiative of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) that recognizes innovative and impactful sustainable businesses across the Mediterranean.   This year, the award places a special focus on the nexus between green and social innovation, celebrating entrepreneurs who are creating environmental, economic and social value while driving the transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive Mediterranean. The WeMed Award 2026 is open to sustainable businesses in the early and growth stages that demonstrate innovative and economically viable business models with positive environmental and social impact. Winners in each category will receive international recognition and a cash prize.   Application deadline: 30 July 2026   Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/eYhPf98q https://wemedaward.org

Day One in Tunis opened with strong momentum as Habib Abid, Minister of Environment of Tunisia, and Tatjana Hema, UNEP/MAP Coordinator, joined partners and countries for the Fourth #MedProgramme Annual Stocktaking Meeting. Under the theme One Sea, One Vision, the day moved from high-level reflections to concrete country stories, showing how the MedProgramme is connecting pollution reduction, water management, biodiversity, climate resilience and regional cooperation into one shared #Mediterranean agenda. From legacy to action, and from results to replication, Day One set the tone: the Mediterranean has solutions, partnerships and a clear direction for what comes next. Please join the discussion on the link: https://lnkd.in/dzuuumyH Watch the video recap of the ASM day 1: https://lnkd.in/dk3MMDrm Access photos from the event shared by الخبيرالإقتصادي L'Expert: https://lnkd.in/d6Vxsn7e

One Sea, One Vision. Tunisia hosts the Fourth Annual Stocktaking Meeting of the GEF-funded #MedProgramme, 23–25 June 2026  Join partners working to scale environmental solutions and investment for the #Mediterranean. Zoom: https://lnkd.in/dzuuumyH Event Programme: https://lnkd.in/d68s2bfq