The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean launches officially its website

The Union for the Mediterranean pursues peace and cooperation and aims to transform these ideals into actions in a partnership for progress. The creation of the joint Secretariat contributes to reinforce co-ownership of EU-Mediterranean relations and to achieve visibility through projects. The ultimate success of the initiative also rests in the active involvement of civil society and the private sector.

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Environment and Water

The Mediterranean region and its surrounds face serious environmental threats to its biodiversity, natural resources, habitable areas, health and food security. It also faces major challenges of water scarcity and droughts on one side, and floods and fires on the other. Each year, an area of more than 200,000 sq. km, larger than the size of  Tunisia and as large as Greece and Portugal put together, is impoverished due to encroaching deserts. 80 of the 100 countries experiencing increased desertification are developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia and part of our region.

In the past, wars around the Mediterranean were waged over land. In the not too distant future, wars will be fought over water. In order to help counter those threats in Environment or Water sectors, the Division will play a pivotal role in the identification, concretization and promotion of a group of worthwhile projects. We shall apply a pragmatic approach, based on the approved concept of variable geometry. Such an approach will enable stakeholders in member states, with shared objectives and complementarities, to give momentum to the process and to achieve the objectives of the UfM. The projects we want to concentrate on in the Environment sector will contribute directly to the implementation of the Horizon 2020 Initiative to De-Pollute the Mediterranean through tackling, by 2020, the sources accounting for around 80% of pollution loading, which are mainly municipal solid and liquid waste and industrial emissions.

We shall also concentrate on the promotion of the UfM Water agenda based on the Strategy for Water in the Mediterranean elaborated by a Water Expert Group but now awaiting political endorsement. The Strategy tackles four main priorities namely: water governance; water and climate change adaptation; water demand management; and water financing. This Strategy shall be complemented by an Action Plan to be developed by 2012, which will match the agreed priorities for action with capacities and financial resources in the region. All of UfM branded projects have to be innovative, cost-effective, piloting, whenever possible, cutting-edge technology and, as stated earlier, using as much “green” and renewable energy sources as possible for environment preservation and protection and water generation, reduction in utilization for domestic and agricultural purposes, as well as re-use and recycling. Finally, we would like to concentrate on major-impact projects that are of high priority but cannot be implemented because of political difficulties. This is where part of where our “Added Value” can be.

The promotion of projects in Environment and Water also includes finding the necessary funding for those projects, for which the both E&W as well as the Funding Coordination Division will dedicate ample time and effort. In order to implement the overall strategy of the Division, another main objective is to work on strengthening and expanding existing UfM formal and stakeholders’ platforms such as ARLEM and UfMPA, establishing new platforms, including private-public partnerships, NGOs etc., working with Governmental and Inter-governmental bodies interested in Environment and Water issues and collaborating with reputed research and advocacy bodies. This, it is felt, will have particular and positive emphasis on the issues of water, environment and climate in the region.

We want to create a genuine, collaborative and transparent relationship with our partners, whether member states representatives, civil society, project implementers or funding agencies. Together, we want to determine the real needs, brainstorm in depth through workshops and focus groups, research the market and niche, identify and develop innovative project proposals, advice and give feedback during implementation, review and analyze the results and outputs and finally monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impact. Only with such an in-depth process, the required funding for such projects will be achievable and the UfM, with both its ideals and its partners can succeed.