Building a sustainable future in the Mediterranean

These two years have involved a transition between the end of the IUCN 2009-2012 Programme and the new four-year Programme 2013-2016 adopted by the IUCN Members Assembly held in Jeju (South Korea) from 6 to 11 September 2012.

The 2012 activities were implemented in the framework of the five 2009- 2012 programme areas and had as a reference the gathering of the Union during the IUCN World Conservation Congress under the slogan Nature+. Over the course of several days, thousands of participants looked at the experiences of the past four years, assessing what worked and what did not work, and defining the way forward for the next four years.

The Mediterranean and the World Conservation Congress

The Mediterranean participation in Jeju was very active, with the organization of different events and workshops to present the latest IUCN-Med publications on marine issues, the Red List of threatened species at Mediterranean level and the socio-economic values of freshwater biodiversity in North Africa.

IUCN Members in North Africa had the opportunity to discuss and adopt their new IUCN Programme 2013-2016 for the region and to analyse the main challenges for conservation, together with the best governance models to follow.

Resolutions and recommendations with a direct impact on the Mediterranean

Below you can download the resolutions and recommendations voted on and adopted by IUCN Members during the IUCN World Congress 2012 held in Jeju and directly affecting the Mediterranean:

WCC-2012-Res-029:Combating the illegal or unsustainable capture, trade or killing of migratory birds in the Mediterranean

WCC-2012-Res-114:Promotion of sustainable tourism, rural development and the value of natural heritage

WCC-2012-Rec-149:Transboundary ecological corridors in the Western Iberian Peninsula.

WCC-2012-Rec-161:Protecting the Critically Endangered Balearic Shearwater in the Ebro Delta,Spain

WCC-2012-Rec-174: Offshore oil drilling in the Mediterranean.

WCC-2012-Rec-160:Preservation of oasis ecosystems

The IUCN Global Programme 2013-2016

Built on the IUCN vision, a just world that values and conserves nature, the 2013-2016 Programme establishes what IUCN wants to achieve in the coming four years. The Programme is organised around three programme areas.

Both the IUCN Mediterranean Programme and the North Africa Programme build on these three components for the next four years.

Activities carried out by IUCN-Med in 2013 have already adopted the new programme framework.

IUCN Programme 2013-2016 (English version)

IUCN Programme for North Africa 2013-2016 (English version)

Our Work

Valuing and conserving nature

IMPROVING THE KNOWLEDGE OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND ITS TRENDS

Red lists of species at regional level

‐ Second phase of the project for the Assessment of Mediterranean Biodiversity

‐ Organization of a workshop held from April 22 to 25 in Azraq (Jordan). In collaboration with the IUCN Freshwater Unit (Cambridge), and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (Jordan), and with financial support from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the MAVA Foundation.

- In 2012 the presentation of the publication on marine mammals and turtles in the Mediterranean and Black Sea also took place

- IUCN-Med accomplished the first socio-economic assessment of the benefits provided by 877 freshwater species in North Africa..

Identification of priority areas for Biodiversity conservation

‐ IUCN-Med also participated in organizing and conducting various workshops in Marrakech, in Jordan and in Jahorina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in order to bring together experts from various Mediterranean institutions and validate Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) for freshwater in the southern part of Europe (Balkans), one of the hotspots of Mediterranean biodiversity.

TRANSHABITAT Project .(2012-2013). During 2013 IUCN-Med organized three meetings of the Expert Group to establish the technical basis for applying the IUCN Ecosystem Red List methodology to terrestrial ecosystems in Morocco.

Development of a biodiversity information plattform

IUCN-Med has started an initiative which aims to implement a system to evaluate, with the help of several territorial indicators, the status of biodiversity in the region and anticipate future trends in order to measure the success of biodiversity conservation policies.

Marine protected areas

- The project called Common management of a natural cross-border space is to strengthen cooperation for the promotion of a joint management and conservation of the Alboran Sea between Spain, Morocco and Algeria. This project is funded by the EU programme POCTEFEX (ERDF), and also has the support of the Fundación Biodiversidad in Spain for several IUCN-Med activities.

- Through the project PEGASO (People for Ecosystem-based Governance in Assessing Sustainable Development of Oceans and Coasts), IUCN-Med has worked with over 25 partner organizations and research centres to develop tools to help implement the new protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean Sea and the its reinforcement in the Black Sea.

On the other hand, the MEDINA project (Marine Ecosystem Dynamics and Indicators for North Africa) has been designed to enhance the capacity of North African countries to implement environmental policies, conventions and protocols and to improve the quality of their marine and coastal ecosystems. The project is led by the University Ca ‘Foscari (Venice, Italy) and includes partners from Italy, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt. MEDINA is funded by the European Commission (FP7 collaborative project Instrument).

- Among the responsibilities of IUCN-Med as partner of the Life + Posidonia Andalucía project, the 2nd edition of the Life + Festival “Seas of Posidonia in summer 2012 in Almuñécar, Granada and the 3rd edition in June 8, 2013 in El Ejido (Almeria) have been organised.

- On the other hand, the Lebanese Ministry of Environment and IUCN-Med with the support of institutions such as the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC / SPA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have developed a Strategy for Marine Protected Areas in Lebanon to help maintain a healthy, productive and biologically diverse marine environment in Lebanese waters. The Strategy was presented to the Lebanese Government in late November 2012.

- 2012 Forum of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean held in Turkey from 25 to 28 November was also the occasion for IUCN-Med to organize three events related to climate change and marine protected areas (MPAs), invasive species, and the effective management of MPAsthrough the proposal of a common tool for the evaluation of MPA management in the Mediterranean.

UCN-Med has also led the development of a marine alien invasive species strategy for the MedPAN network of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean.

To support the process of declaration of new marine protected areas IUCN-Med has attended several meetings in Morocco to provide advice on the preparation of legal documents and management plans for three new marine protected areas for fisheries in cooperation with the Department of Marine Fisheries of Morocco.

Within the framework of the Nereus project to contribute to the identification and then the designation and networking of representative sites at the national, sub-regional and regional levels as a support to the protection of the Mediterranean, IUCN-Med has worked for the last two years in cooperation and coordination with key national, regional and international institutions for this and other related projects. One of the results achieved is the identification of areas of importance for marine conservation in Lebanon, Libya and the Alboran Sea; the preparation of technical documents on ecosystems and species such as on seagrass and their resilience to climate change to better understand their conservation needs and benefits; the preparation and adoption of strategic documents such as Lebanon´s Marine Protected Areas Strategy; and participation in various related international and national meetings. Reports on legal and institutional aspects of marine conservation in several countries in the Balkans and North Africawill be finalised in 2014.

IUCN-Med also participated in the organization of national workshops on marine protected areas, such as the one held in Zagreb (Croatia) in June 2013 together with the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas of the Mediterranean Action Plan (RAC / SPA) and the IUCN Environmental Law Centre.

Similar activities took also place in Albania (Tirana, July 2013) and Montenegro (Podgorica, July 2013).

Building synergies with other organizations, IUCN-Med was present at the meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Network of Managers of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean (MedPAN), on May 17, 2013 in Malaga. The role of this Committee is to advise and make recommendations on strategic plans of action and programmes for the MedPAN network.

Montenegro was also the venue from 8 to 9 October 2012 for a workshop on “How to create and manage a marine protected area: proposals, lessons learned and ideas in the Mediterranean”. The purpose of this meeting was to provide public administrators the possibility of holding a group discussion, share opinions and start thinking about how to manage the environmental, cultural and economic resources along the coastal area of Montenegro, particularly in the context of the creation of the first MPA in the country. The legal framework being of utmost importance, issues discussed also included how to structure legislation to equip managers with the operational tools necessary for a management plan.

During the third International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC3),held in Marseille from 21 to 27 October 2013 with more than 1500 participants from 89 countries, the marine programme of IUCN-Med participated in the organization of several side events and round tables which gave the opportunity to display the latest publications of the Centre and joint activities carried out with other Mediterranean partners (MedPAN, North African governments...)

Improving the capacity of governments and managers for biodiversity conservation

The launching of the project “Development and implementation of action plans for species in Mediterranean countries: improving management capacity for the conservation of endangered species in North Africa”.

Given its regional character, this project foresees the development of a transnational action plan for a common species among participating countries. To date, three Workshops to improve the planning and management skills for species conservation in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia have been organized, as well as for the development of species conservation strategies in these three countries.

During 2013, intense efforts have also been invested in development and fundraising for a Small Initiatives Programme for Civil Society Organizations in North Africa (PPI-OSCAN, acronym in French), which have secured to date the funding approval from the MAVA Foundation and the French Fund for the Global Environment.

The development and final approval by CEPF of a project to promote the value of Key Biodiversity Areas in North Africa by strengthening the role of NGOs in their management and conservation. have also been achieved. Both initiatives will be developed in Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.

Our Work

EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE GOVERNANCE

Contributing to the improvement of governance tools in the Mediterranean region

In the framework of legislation and international protocols in the Mediterranean, IUCN-Med has strengthened its presence and tightened links at regional level particularly with:

AT MEDITERRANEAN LEVEL

THE BARCELONA CONVENTION AND THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

IUCN-Med attended the 17th Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP 17) to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) and its protocols.

Recognition of IUCN as a priority institution with the capacity to work closely with the Barcelona Convention to achieve agreed conservation objectives in the Mediterranean.

Collaboration with the Barcelona Convention was formalised on December 5, 2013 with the public signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between IUCN and the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan, on the occasion of the participation of IUCN at the 18th Conference of the Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Collaborative organization of the Third Meeting of the Strategic Action Programme for Biodiversity Conservation in the Mediterranean (SAP BIO) of the Barcelona Convention, held in Malaga from 4 to 6 July 2012.

UNION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN

The participation of IUCN-Med for the first time in the Meeting of Senior Officials of the Union for the Mediterranean held from 10 to 11 June 2013 in Malaga, provided an opportunity to introduce the IUCN Mediterranean Programme and the main activities of the Centre during the past 12 years since its creation, and opened new avenues of cooperation with this institution.

IUCN-Med is contributing to develop a joint initiative with the UfM and four other Mediterranean organizations (MIO-ECSDE, WWF Mediterranean Water Institute and RAED) which aims to strengthen the capacities of civil society in Northern Africa in the field of water resources and the environment.

IUCN-Med also had the opportunity to present the 2013-2017 Strategic Action Plan of MedPan (Network of Managers of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean) at the Parliament of the Union for the Mediterranean. IUCN-Med is also a partner in this initiative led by MedPAN.

MEDITERRANEAN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (MCSD)

The participation of IUCN-Med in the 15th Meeting of the MCSD held in Malta in June 2013 is a sign of being accepted for the first time as a Member of the Steering Committee of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development.

AT SUBREGIONAL LEVEL

UNION FOR THE MAGHREB ARAB (UMA)(UMA)

The Union for the Maghreb Arab (UMA) and IUCN-Med agreed during their meeting in May 2012 to sign a cooperation agreement destined to support joint efforts for biodiversity conservation in North Africa. The agreement was executed in March 2013.

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (AfDB)

Related to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between AfDB and IUCN-Med, two working meetings have been held in 2012 to define an action programme for the conservation and the sustainable use of coastal areas in North Africa.

UNESCO’S MAN AND BIOSPHERE PROGRAMME (MAB)

The second workshop, in line with previous activities with OAPN, was held in Malaga with the participation of more than 20 experts who agreed the foundations for a programme to reinforce capacities for the management and governance of Biosphere Reserves in North Africa. Furthermore, the experts identified pilot projects to develop in the region.

EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE GOVERNANCE (2)

AT NATIONAL LEVEL

Algeria

Participation in the III Mediterranean Forest Week held in Algeria in March, for the presentation of the Strategic Framework on Mediterranean forests and IUCN-Med´s contribution to the process. Several missions to Algeria for the planning of an upcoming Nature Conservation Congress in North Africa have also taken place.

Egypt

A mission in Egypt was prepared with high-level meetings to boost cooperation with IUCN Members in Egypt, discuss topics of interest and identify new partners from government, NGOs and international organizations based in Egypt. The visit of IUCN-Med staff was organized in collaboration with the Arab Office for Youth and Environment in Egypt. A meeting with representatives of the League of Arab States took place for the first time, allowing both organizations to submit an overview of their activities and discuss issues of common interest in the Mediterranean and North Africa.

IUCN-Med also met with representatives of the United Nations Programme for Development in Egypt, together with the Executive Director of the Centre for Environment and Development in the Arab Countries and Europe (CEDARE). The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2014 with CEDARE aims to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.

Italy

Partnerships with Italy have been reinforced through various coordination meetings with the IUCN Italian National Committee to advise on IUCN-Med projects and prepare a cooperation agreement with Italy on areas of common interest for the Mediterranean, and to develop an initiative for a Green List of Protected Areas in coordination with the IUCN Global Programme on Protected Areas and the World Commission on Protected Areas. The Agreement was formalized with the signature of a Memorandum in March 2014.

Morocco

In May 2013 IUCN-Med signed an agreement with the High Commission for Water and Forests and the Fight against Desertification (HCEFLCD) of Morocco to support the national Government in the implementation of international conventions in particular those related to the Aichi Biodiversity targets and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Barcelona Convention and its Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management, and the Convention on the Protection of the World´s Cultural and Natural Heritage. The Memorando has a duration of 4 years and both organizations will work together to develop the agreement with concrete proposals in the coming months.

Moreover, the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation participated in a workshop organized by the Government of Morocco on June 6, 2013 in Rabat to select the species affected by the new law on the protection of species of wild flora and fauna and regulating illegal trade.

Tunisia

During participation in the International Conference for the Protection of the oasis held in Zarzis-Djerba, IUCN-Med contributed to the drafting of the Manifesto for the protection of the oasis and lifestyles of the oasis that was presented at the World Social Forum 2013 held in late March in Tunisia.

Our Work

DEPLOYING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS

CLIMATE CHANGE

The three year SEARCH project (Social, Ecological and Agricultural Resilience in the face of climate change in the Mediterranean Region) brings together 13 institutions working on adaptation strategies to climate change to increase the resilience of local communities. IUCN-Med presented the first results of the SEARCH project in Morocco at a meeting organized by the Observatory for the Environment in Tangier in November 2013.

In February 2012 IUCN organized a meeting in Mauritania in collaboration with experts from the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management to develop a strategy for oasis ecosystems in the Maghreb countries and including Mauritania.

As a result of the work by experts through various workshops promoted and organized by IUCN-Med in 2011 under the project “Sustainable Livelihoods in North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean” with AECID´s support, IUCN-Med published a Manual for the Conservation of coastal dunes.

The restoration of steppes and grassland in semi-arid regions. is a powerful tool to combat desertification and the effects of climate change. IUCN-Med organized a workshop in 2012 with the Joint UA-CEAM Unit, composed of members of the Department of Ecology at the University of Alicante and the Centre for Environmental Studies in the Mediterranean (CEAM). Workshop attendees covered areas related to forest management and public administration in countries of North Africa.

As part of the collaboration with MedPAN, IUCN-Med has published a guide for managers of marine protected areas of the Mediterranean network with practical guidance on how to address the issue of climate change in marine protected areas in the Mediterranean and a strategic vision at network level. The publication is “Marine protected areas and climate change in the Mediterranean”.

A Strategy for invasive alien marine species for the MedPAN network has also been prepared as well as a guide in three languages for the identification of marine invasive species in the Mediterranean. The public launch of a new smartphone application called MedMIS to help managers of marine protected areas identify and record the presence of invasive marine species in the Mediterranean marine protected areas will complete this work in 2014.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The project to integrate biodiversity and energy efficiency aspects in the tourism sector in North Africa coordinated by IUCN-Med and funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) has mobilized local social partners in support of ecotourism in Tunisia and Morocco, through the creation of an ecotourism plan for two pilot protected areas in North Africa: the Talassemtane National Park in Morocco and Jebel Zaghouan National Park in Tunisia.

The ENPI MEET project on Mediterranean Ecotourism Experience seeks to improve the sustainability of tourism and rationalise its distribution in the Mediterranean region. As part of the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme of the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENPI CBCMED) under the strategic line for Promoting sustainable tourism for socio-economic development and territorial improvement, the project was officially launched on March 11, 2013 during a press conference in Rome. The MEET project, which started in 2013 and will be completed in 2015, covers 10 countries in the Mediterranean; Cyprus, Egypt, Spain, France, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta and Tunisia, under the leadership of Italy.