PAP/RAC is excited to announce the launch of a dedicated website celebrating our 15-year collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This site offers a comprehensive overview of our GEF-funded projects, from the ongoing MedProgramme to the MedPartnership, ClimVar, and GEF Adriatic projects, successfully implemented since 2009.

These initiatives addressed critical challenges facing the Mediterranean’s marine and coastal ecosystems through Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) approaches. Their valuable results have paved the way for the ongoing GEF MedProgramme’s Child Project 2.1 and the SCCF Project, underscoring our continued commitment to sustainable coastal development in the region.

The website features the latest updates and key outputs from these current projects active in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, and Tunisia. The SCCF Project highlights the need for climate change adaptation, while Child Project 2.1 focuses on enhancing sustainability and resilience in coastal zones. This synergy is exemplified by the ICZM coastal plans for Boka Kotorska Bay in Montenegro and the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima region in Morocco, which integrate climate adaptation strategies to strengthen coastal community resilience.

These plans are developed with broad stakeholder involvement, including governments, academia, civil society, and businesses, and highlight gender equality - echoing the theme of this year’s Mediterranean Coast Day, "WomensWave for Coastal Sustainability in the Mediterranean," funded by GEF through the MEDProgramme.

In addition to celebrating our partnership, the new website also contributes to the broader commemoration of 30 years of GEF International Waters and the upcoming 10th GEF Biennial International Waters Conference (IWC 10) in Punta del Este, Uruguay (23-26 September 2024). PAP/RAC will showcase the MedProgramme’s achievements at the conference, highlighting the success of our collaborative efforts.

About the project

The Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and launched in 2020, is dedicated to 'Enhancing Environmental Security' across ten countries: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey. Led by the UNEP/Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) with support from UNEP and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the MedProgramme collaborates with reputable partners such as UNESCO/IHP, European Investment Bank (EIB), IUCN Med, GWP Med, WWF Med, Plan Bleu, PAP/RAC, SCP/RAC, and SPA/RAC.

This initiative aims to alleviate major transboundary environmental stresses in coastal regions while bolstering climate resilience, ensuring water security, and enhancing the well-being of coastal communities. Emphasizing gender mainstreaming, the MedProgramme strives for equitable environmental management that benefits both women and men.

Building upon previous endeavors like the MedPartnership, ClimVar, and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) GEF projects, the MedProgramme leverages enriched knowledge and understanding of the Mediterranean environment. It comprises eight Child Projects designed to deliver complementary outcomes, aligned with the priorities identified in the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) for the Mediterranean Sea. A detailed list of all Child Projects and the executing partners is available on the UNEP/MAP website. 

The Mediterranean Coast Day celebration is an integral component of Child Project 2.1 titled “Mediterranean Coastal Zones: Water Security, Climate Resilience and Habitat Protection”. The project is executed by PAP/RAC, the Regional Activity Centre of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), which supports Mediterranean countries on their path towards sustainable coastal development. With the backing of UNEP/MAP, the Centre has incorporated gender equality as a core component across all its activities, including the implementation of Child Project 2.1 under the GEF MedProgramme framework.

For more information, contact Tea Marasović: [ tea.marasovic@paprac.org].

Words by Tea Marasović.