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GEF Engagement in the Mediterranean Region

Protecting the environment is a central concern of both the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM)1 and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Indeed, as the underlying links between the environment and sustainable development are clearer than ever, the countries of the Mediterranean have emphasized the importance of integrating environmental concerns into their future development. As evidenced in this report, the GEF has financed projects in the Mediterranean region that preserve and enhance the quality of its natural environment. We are pleased to see that the goals and priorities identified by the UPM are in harmony with those of the GEF. In order to increase the quality of life, create jobs, and stimulate sustainable economic growth, UPM priorities focus on cooperation to provide new foundations for effective development, including: preserving valuable terrestrial and marine ecosystems; addressing climate change; sustainably managing water, soil, and energy as well as tourism, agriculture, and industrial activities. The UPM and the GEF each have projects under preparation. The GEF projects are consistent with the objectives of the UPM and are a natural outgrowth of the strong desire of Mediterranean countries to address their common environmental agenda. The cooperation of countries in the region on environmental matters for over two decades has led to significant achievements. In concert with the Mediterranean Basin riparians and the international aid community, the UPM and GEF will strengthen these regional efforts while fostering capacity building and technology transfer between the northern and southern rims.

Information sharing via the Aquatic Commons

The Aquatic Commons is a thematic digital repository covering the natural marine, estuarine/brackish and fresh water environments. The repository contains a growing collection of published and unpublished research, organizational publications, and other scholarly materials contributed by researchers, librarians and their institutions. It is directed by the International Association of Aquatic and Marine Science Libraries and Information Centers (IAMSLIC) to provide visibility, usage and impact through global access to digital publications from worldwide marine and freshwater organizations that do not have access to an institutional repository of their own.

Models of the World’s Large Marine Ecosystems

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission technical series GEF/LME global project Promoting Ecosystem-based Approaches to Fisheries Conservation and Large Marine Ecosystems UNESCO 2008 * As submitted to IOC Technical Series, UNESCO, 22 October 2008 We present a new methodology for database-driven ecosystem model generation and apply the methodology to the world’s 66 currently-defined large marine ecosystems. The method relies on a large number of spatial and temporal databases, including FishBase, SeaLifeBase, as well as several other database developed as part of the Sea Around Us project. The models are formulated using the Ecopath with Ecosim modeling approach and software, and are made available to GEF/LME projects for further development. We tune the models by fitting to available time series data, but recognize that the models represent only a first-generation of database-driven ecosystem models. The biggest hurdles at present to further model development and validation are insufficient time series trend information, and data on spatial fishing effort. We will be further developing the models, as this is one of the major activities of the Sea Around Us project, and encourage GEF/LME projects to participate in the process, notably by enriching the models through addition of more local and regional data. We here use the models to summarize information about fisheries catch and value in the LMEs. Acknowledgements This activity was funded by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Environment Programme, through the UNESCO/IOC activity Promoting Ecosystem-based Approaches to Fisheries Conservation in LME’s (Global activity), Component 2.a (UNESCO Contract Number 4500039066). The activity was made possible through the activities and support of the Sea Around Us project, initiated and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. We also thank the Lenfest Oceans Program for funding the redevelopment of the Ecopath with Ecosim software, a necessary requirement for the present activity. We further thank Dr Kenneth Sherman, NOAA, for defining the project scope through many interesting discussions, seeing it through the GEF funding process, as well as for his sustained support of the research and capacity building that this activity has resulted in.

BSERP Small Grants Programmes (Volovik / Karamushka)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Yegor Volovik/Victor Karamushka Contents: Details on SGP Phase I Details on SGP Phase II Key outputs of BSERP SGPs Conclusions

Achievements and Results of Pilot Projects, Results and Scaling-up (Volovik)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008.

Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project 2004-2008 (Volovik)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Contents:P Overview of BSERP Main Achievements & Results BSERP Final Report (DVD Version) Introduction of Final Evaluation Yegor Volovik

BSERP Exit Strategy (Volovik)

Contents: Exit Strategy Why Exit Strategy? Overview of BSERP outputs Recommendations Outstanding Issues Transfer of Goods Yegor Volovik

Sustaining Results from the 15 Years of UNDP/GEF Interventions (Velikova)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Violeta Velikova

Revision of the LBSA Protocol: UNEP's Involvement

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Rossana Silva Repetto Legal Officer, UNEP

Results of the Monitoring Activities for the Last 15 Years (Mihnea)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. -increase of institutional capacity of the countries for monitoring Radu Mihnea

Black Sea Action Day (Akpinar)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Nilufer Akpinar

After BSERP (Rizo)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. José RIZO European Commission Jose.rizo-martin@ec.europe.eu

NGO Support to the Process of Public Involvement and Participation (Gileva)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Emma Gileva Black Sea NGO Network www.bseanetwork.org

Activitiesr elated to the Conservation of Biological Diversity in the Black Sea Region (Alexandrov)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Dr. Boris Alexandrov Odessa Branch, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

2007 Black Sea TDA (Parr)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Bill Parr

Black Sea SAP: 2007 Technical Draft (Parr)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Bill Parr

Increase in Understanding of Environmental Status and Functioning of the BS Ecosystem (Parr)

Presentation given during the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project's Final Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey from 14-15 February 2008. Bill Parr

The Key Outcomes of the ICZM Related Activities (Antonidze)

Presentation given during the Final Seminar of the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project, from 14-15 February 2008 in Istanbul. Ekaterina Antonidze Chairman of ICZM AG

Outcomes of the Institutional Review of the Black Sea Commission: implementation of recommendations developed (Kideys)

Presentation given during the Final Seminar of the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project, from 14-15 February 2008 in Istanbul. Ahmet Kideys Executive Director Black Sea Commission

Pay: Establishing Payments for Watershed Services

Author(s): Smith, Mark, ed. ; De Groot, Dolf, ed. ; Perrot-Maître, Danièle, ed. ; Bergkamp, Ger, ed.; IUCN, Water and Nature Initiative Published: 2006 Series: WANI Toolkit ISBN: 2-8317-0958-X ; 978-2-8317-0958-1