In the framework of the Global Environment Facility funded Mediterranean Sea Programme: “Enhancing Environmental Security” (GEF ID 9607), the United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan organized the “Second Annual Stocktaking Meeting of the GEF-UNEP Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme),” convened in cooperation with the implementing agencies UNEP and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the executing partners of the MedProgramme. The meeting was held in Podgorica, Montenegro from 22 to 24 April 2024.

The MedProgramme is part of UNEP/MAP’s and represents the first GEF programmatic multi-focal area initiative in the Mediterranean Sea, aiming through its 8 Child Projects at operationalizing priority actions to reduce major transboundary environmental stresses in its coastal areas, while strengthening, at the same time, climate resilience and water security, and improving the health and livelihoods of coastal populations. The MedProgramme is implemented in nine (9) beneficiary countries sharing the Mediterranean basin (Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia). It involves a wide spectrum of developmental and societal sectors, ranging from banking institutions, private sector, governmental and non-governmental bodies, industry, research, media, and various other organizations.

The objective of the Annual Stocktaking Meeting (ASM) was to enable face-to-face knowledge exchanges and promote broader adoption of MedProgramme’s approaches and solutions. This was achieved through synergistic interactions among the Child Projects while providing an opportunity to engage with a broad audience of peers and stakeholders sharing similar objectives within the overarching goal of achieving environmental security in the Mediterranean Basin.

The Meeting was built around three key modules: (1) keynote lectures; (2) roundtable discussions; and (3) panel discussions. 

Keynote lectures consisted of selected topics of relevance to the financing of the outcomes of the MedProgramme. They were delivered by renowned experts with the aim to promote the broader adoption of MedProgramme approaches, cooperation andsolutions. The topics included (i) promoting and implementing sustainable blue economy: international, national and local levels; (ii) blending finance mechanisms for biodiversity and climate change challenges in the Mediterranean: the case study of the PAMEx Local Investment Finance Facility (PLIFF); (iii) financing for nature and adaptation: state of play and way forward; and (iv) blended financing models in the water sector - case of ENVITECC.

The Roundtable discussions consisted of knowledge transfer tools addressing the scientific aspects behind the underlying science of the Child Projects. These were delivered in a setting of roundtables led by technical experts from the executing agencies responsible for implementation of the Child Projects followed by Q/A sessions. Eight scientific topics were introduced. Discussions were held concurrently for all 8 roundtables. The topics included

(i) collection and disposal of PCB;

(ii) the invisible threat: new POPs in water – challenges in detection and prevention;

(iii) application of ICZM approaches in coastal planning and management;

(iv) the conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater and its challenges;

(v) applying the WEFE Nexus approach in the source-to-sea continuum;

(vi) involving the private sector in climate adaptation initiatives in the Mediterranean coastal areas;

(vii) marine spatial planning as a tool to improve biodiversity conversation in the Mediterranean region; and

(viii) bringing international experience in information management systems for monitoring marine ecosystem in the Mediterranean context.

Regarding the panel discussions, these were designed as knowledge/experience sharing/learning tools on the challenges stemming from implementation of the MedProgramme Child Projects. Countries’ representatives from the various Child Projects were presented with specific questions related to the panel in question. Four panels were foreseen dealing with

(i) knowledge management and dissemination;

(ii) promoting gender mainstreaming;

(iii) improving national coordination between Child Projects; and

(iv) regional coordination/integration and monitoring between GEF Countries.

The ASM acknowledged the challenges identified in the panel discussions facing implementation of programme activities including complex legal and inter-institutional processes as well as coordination with beneficiary countries; inadequate information available at country level to facilitate implementation; limited technical capacities and awareness; ownership and engagement of implemented activities; and data scarcity and knowledge sharing. 

The ASM recommended that the project executing partners and beneficiary countries address identified challenges through improved coordination between various stakeholders involved in the Child Projects at both national and regional levels; effective stakeholder participation and further engagement with national authorities; better integration between Child Projects, nationally and regionally; data availability, reliability and usefulness; and strengthening the MedProgramme’s knowledge management platform with the aim of improving the dissemination and transfer of results, while supporting the knowledge exchanges between and across Child Projects, participating countries and involved stakeholders. The ASM endorsed the measures and solutions proposed by the discussion groups and highlighted the need for working from the ground up in building collaboration between the various Child Projects nationally; while devising a mechanism for transforming results from country to region level for better coordination regionally.