Pathways for implementation of Blue Carbon initiatives discussed at European Parliament

With the 2015 Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) behind us, countries now need to focus on its implementation and overall commitments to reduce emissions and enhance adaptation programs. IUCN-Med took the opportunity to present the results from the LIFE project BlueNatura and provided the base for the discussion. Other experts gave an overview on the knowledge of Blue carbon ecosystems in Europe and showcased current initiatives for avoiding and reduction CO2 emissions, especially in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, as well as experiences of countries that have already incorporated blue carbon into National Green House gas Inventories. The roundtable discussion examined priorities, potential gaps and opportunities to support the integration of Blue carbon into European policies. Blue Carbon, the carbon absorbed and stored by marine and coastal ecosystems such as tidal marshes and seagrasses from European Seas, represents a large natural carbon sink.

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Conserving wild plants in the south and east Mediterranean region

The conservation status and distribution of Mediterranean saproxylic beetles

Core support to the activities of the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation is provided by the
Junta de Andalucia, the Ministry of Ecological Transition in Spain, and the MAVA Foundation.

Malta hosted the 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week

The 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week (MPCW) with the theme "Conservation of Mediterranean Plant Diversity: Complementary Approaches and New Perspectives" was held at the University of Malta, Valletta Campus from 12 to 16 November 2018.

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7 Protected Areas from North Africa proposed for the candidate phase of the Green List

Up to day three countries from North Africa have proposed seven different candidate sites to the Green List: Theniet El Had National Parc and Habibas Island in Algeria, National Parks of Ifrane and of Toubkal in Morocco and Kuriat islands and the National Parks of Jebel Serj and of El Feija in Tunisia.

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Creating space for innovative sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean region

25 organizations from the Mediterranean region gather in Málaga (Spain) using Collective Impact approach to leverage ecotourism as a tool for sustainable development and conservation. Around 25 organizations from six Mediterranean countries met for a one-day Think Tank style event

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Exchange of knowledge to better protect raptors in Morocco

The IUCN Center for Mediterranean Cooperation in collaboration with the High Commissariat for Water, Forests and Desertification Control (HCEFLCD) in Morocco and the regional Government of Andalusia organized a course on census and monitoring methods for birds of prey.

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Toward new deep sea marine protected areas in Lebanon

In line with the international commitments to support the creation of new Marine Protected Areas (MPA), IUCN recently facilitated meetings with high level officials to invite Lebanon to adhere the Mediterranean Trust Fund and get benefit into supporting existing and future MPAs.

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Capacity building on blue carbon projects

Blue Carbon, the carbon assimilated and stored by marine and coastal ecosystems such as wetlands, marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds, represents a large natural carbon sink, and as such, can provide new (...)

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Journalists meet with experts to discuss environmental challenges

Around 50 environmental journalists and scientists from 20 countries in the Mediterranean basin, researchers and experts in the field, NGOs, and international institutions met at the 3rd Meeting of Environmental Journalists of Mediterranean News Agencies, on 13-14 November at the UfM headquarters, in Barcelona.

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Developing Effective Capacity for North African Protected Areas

In 2018, IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) undertook a capacity needs assessment for PAs managers in the five North African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), with the aim to identify key needs and levers to improve capacity for management effectiveness.

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11 univesities join forces for a sustainable Alboran sea

The First meeting of Universities of the Sea of Alboran was held in Fuengirola (Málaga) last September. The aim of this meeting was to facilitate the encounter of professors and research groups from the different universities of the 3 riparian countries of the Alboran sea.

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Events

International Workshop « Implementation of Nature Based Solutions to tackle climate change: Focus on the Mediterranean region » 22- 24 January 2019, Marseille, France. Organized by Plan Bleu, IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, UICN French Committee, Conservatoire du Littoral, Tour du Valat, MedWET and Wetlands International, this event will gather researchers, practitioners and policy makers of the Mediterranean region and European Union to discuss on the benefits and challenges related to Nature-based Solutions implementation.

DG MARE event "Blue Invest in the Mediterranean 2019" - 24 January 2019, Malta

World Wetlands Day 2019: Wetlands and climate change - 2 February 2019

GCMF-FAO Working Group on Marine Protected Areas (WGMPA), including a session on Essential Fish Habitats (EFH) - February 18 - February 21, Rome, Italy

20th Meeting of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development Steering Committee - 23 - 24 February 2019, Athens (Greece)

Six Mediterranean Forest Week, 1-5 April, Lebanon. The Sixth MFW will bring together a diverse range of participants to consider how Mediterranean forests can assist countries in the region to achieve their goals under the Paris Agreement.

5th International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas - 8 - 12 April, Costa Navarino, Messinia, Greece. Jointly organized by the International Committee on Marine Protected Areas and the World Wide Fund for Nature Greece (WWF Greece).

First national census of rock nesting raptors in Morocco - February to June 2019! - The first national census of rock nesting raptors will begin in Morocco thanks to the fruitful collaboration of IUCN-Med, HCEFLCD, Junta de Andalucía, AGIR, AMFCR, AMPOVIS, ASARA, AZIR, GREPOM, GOMAC, GREFA, Migres foundation, SEO Birdlife and Vulture Conservation Foundation with the support of Mava Foundation. The objective of this census is to collect information on Moroccan birds of prey to develop a monitoring and conservation programme at the national level.

Events

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