Along Libya’s Mediterranean coastline, marine ecosystems support biodiversity, fisheries and coastal livelihoods that sustain local communities. Yet increasing pressure from overfishing, coastal development and environmental change is putting these systems at risk. Protecting them requires more than designating protected areas. It requires governance, science and the active participation of those who depend on them.
Through the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme), Child Project 3.1 is supporting Libya in strengthening the management and expansion of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Implemented with technical leadership from the Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC) and in partnership with organisations including World Wide Fund for Nature North Africa (WWF North Africa) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN Med), the initiative brings together national authorities, conservation organisations and civil society to move marine protection from planning to implementation.
A central outcome of this work is the development of a national governance framework for MPAs. Led by SPA/RAC, this includes updating legal and institutional structures, developing strategic recommendations and conducting consultations with stakeholders to support a more coherent and coordinated system for marine conservation.
“Establishing effective governance structures for marine protected areas is a crucial step towards protecting Libya’s unique marine biodiversity. Strong institutions and clear management frameworks allow conservation efforts to move from ambition to implementation,”
says Atef Limam, Project Officer at SPA/RAC.
Scientific evidence underpins this process. Technical experts, working through SPA/RAC and with contributions from IUCN Med, have analysed existing data and carried out field surveys to identify marine and coastal sites of conservation interest, informing the selection of priority areas and the preparation of management plans. At the same time, socio-economic assessments and fisheries evaluations, supported by WWF North Africa, ensure that conservation measures reflect the realities of coastal livelihoods and resource use, aligning environmental protection with economic and social priorities.
SPA/RAC
Strengthening participation and local engagement
Exchange visit organized in Gökova, Türkiye, from 12 to 14 May 2026, bringing together conservation practitioners from Libya, including representatives of national institutions and civil society organizations, alongside the Akdeniz Koruma team in Gökova involved in monitoring, MPA management and the ranger system, as well as representatives of the fishery cooperative.
SPA/RAC
The initiative is also strengthening participation as a core element of marine governance. A civil society platform established under the project is bringing together organisations working in marine conservation, fisheries and community development to contribute to planning and decision-making.
Eight Libyan civil society organisations are now actively engaged, helping connect national policy processes with local knowledge and experience. Training programmes, implemented with support from WWF North Africa, are strengthening their capacity to participate effectively in dialogue and support implementation, recognising that when local actors are involved in planning and decision-making, protected areas become more effective, more accepted and ultimately more sustainable.
The project also integrates gender perspectives into marine governance as part of the programme-wide coordination led by UNEP/MAP. Training activities include dedicated sessions on the role of women in coastal communities, environmental advocacy and sustainable resource use.
“When diverse perspectives are included, conservation solutions become stronger and more sustainable,”
says Senem Berber, MedProgramme Gender Specialist.
In parallel, practical steps are being taken to ensure that governance frameworks translate into action. Management plans are being developed for priority sites, supported by technical inputs from IUCN Med, alongside the strengthening of legal and institutional structures needed for implementation. This integrated approach combines science-based planning, inclusive governance and operational management on the ground, ensuring that protected areas are not only designated but actively managed and sustained.
As environmental pressures across the Mediterranean continue to intensify, the Libya experience highlights an important lesson. Effective marine protection depends on connecting science, governance and community participation into a single, coordinated approach.
By strengthening institutions, building knowledge and engaging stakeholders, the MedProgramme is helping establish the conditions for sustainable marine management. The result is not only better protection of biodiversity, but a stronger foundation for resilient coastal communities and long-term environmental security.
Words by Ivana Popovic (UNEP/MAP), ivana.popovic@un.org
Thumbnail: Photo by Moayad Zaghdani on Unsplash
About the MedProgramme
The Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme) is a Global Environment Facility-funded initiative implemented by UNEP and EBRD together with partners, supporting Mediterranean countries to address environmental challenges through integrated, multi-sectoral approaches across water, biodiversity, climate change and pollution