International Coastal Oceans: The Mediterranean Sea

Integrated Coastal Management Continuous, interactive, participatory, consensus-building process comprised of a related set of tasks, carried out to achieve a set of goals Continuous, interactive, participatory, consensus-building process comprised of a related set of tasks, carried out to achieve a set of goals Basin-wide Approach Basin-wide Approach River basins and coastal zones River basins and coastal zones Weaves together social, political, economic and environmental issues Weaves together social, political, economic and environmental issues 50% of the world’s population lives within 60 km of a coastline 50% of the world’s population lives within 60 km of a coastline

Mediterranean Sea 3 continents 3 continents 22 countries 22 countries 46,000 km coastline 46,000 km coastline 970,000 sq. mi area 970,000 sq. mi area 132 mln people 132 mln people 1% of world’s marine area 1% of world’s marine area 6% of world’s marine species 6% of world’s marine species 28% of world’s oil traffic 28% of world’s oil traffic

Sources and Impacts of Pollution Sources Land-Based Land-Based Agricultural Runoff Agricultural Runoff Rivers – Po, Rhone, Nile Rivers – Po, Rhone, Nile 650 mln tons of sewage annually 650 mln tons of sewage annually 70% of wastewater is untreated 70% of wastewater is untreated Tourism – over 200 mln tourists annually Tourism – over 200 mln tourists annually Land development Land development Oil shipping Oil shipping 1 mln tons of crude oil annually 1 mln tons of crude oil annually Overfishing Overfishing 1.5 mln tons of fish caught annually 1.5 mln tons of fish caught annually year renewal rate Impacts Depletion of fish stocks and catch weight Depletion of fish stocks and catch weight Temperature change Temperature change atmosphere and ocean Deforestation Deforestation Desertification Desertification Loss of biodiversity Loss of biodiversity Decrease in water quality Decrease in water quality increased salinity

Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) Barcelona Convention – 1975 Barcelona Convention – 1975 “take all appropriate measures to prevent, abate and combat pollution in the Mediterranean Sea area and to protect and improve the marine environment in the area” “take all appropriate measures to prevent, abate and combat pollution in the Mediterranean Sea area and to protect and improve the marine environment in the area” 6 Protocols 6 Protocols Land-Based Sources Land-Based Sources Dumping Dumping Offshore Offshore Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste Emergency Emergency Specially Protected Areas (added in 1995) Specially Protected Areas (added in 1995)

MAP Implementation Programme for the Assessment and Control of Pollution in the Mediterranean Region (MED POL) Programme for the Assessment and Control of Pollution in the Mediterranean Region (MED POL) Land-Based Sources, Dumping and Hazardous Wastes Protocols Land-Based Sources, Dumping and Hazardous Wastes Protocols Coastal Areas Management Programme (CAMP) Coastal Areas Management Programme (CAMP) Government and international financial institutions collaborative effort for sustainable development Government and international financial institutions collaborative effort for sustainable development The Mediterranean Environment and Developing Observatory (MEDO) The Mediterranean Environment and Developing Observatory (MEDO) Provide scientific and objective information to policy-makers with regards to sustainable development Provide scientific and objective information to policy-makers with regards to sustainable development Regional Activity Centers Regional Activity Centers Implement MAP components within a region Implement MAP components within a region

Problems with MAP Initially, framework was too weak to implement protocols Initially, framework was too weak to implement protocols Amended Convention (1995) has not been fully ratified Amended Convention (1995) has not been fully ratified Discrepancy between wealth, resources and political ideology Discrepancy between wealth, resources and political ideology Political conflict Political conflict

It is difficult to incorporate all the visions of the Barcelona Convention into an actual environmental plan. Is the six protocol/ICM approach feasible? Should only one protocol be highlighted at a time? If so, which one first? It is difficult to incorporate all the visions of the Barcelona Convention into an actual environmental plan. Is the six protocol/ICM approach feasible? Should only one protocol be highlighted at a time? If so, which one first? Since not all countries have ratified the Barcelona Convention, its protocols and amendments, should the countries that have enact the policies of the Convention? Since not all countries have ratified the Barcelona Convention, its protocols and amendments, should the countries that have enact the policies of the Convention? A major cause prohibiting the implementation of the Convention is the unequal distribution of wealth and resources as well as different political ideologies. What could the Convention do to better encourage all countries to participate in the Mediterranean Action Plan? A major cause prohibiting the implementation of the Convention is the unequal distribution of wealth and resources as well as different political ideologies. What could the Convention do to better encourage all countries to participate in the Mediterranean Action Plan? If financing the protocols is prohibiting a country from ratifying the Convention, is it the responsibility of the more able countries of the Convention to financially assist the implementation of the protocols? If financing the protocols is prohibiting a country from ratifying the Convention, is it the responsibility of the more able countries of the Convention to financially assist the implementation of the protocols?

Last November the oil tanker Prestige sank of the northwest coast of Spain and spilled 64,000 tons of oil in the Atlantic Ocean. This spill has affected about 30,000 people directly, and is estimated that clean-up will cost approximately €5 billion, according to a WWF report. Given that the Mediterranean Sea accounts for 28% of the world’s oil traffic, the sea is at high risk for a spill of this magnitude. Last November the oil tanker Prestige sank of the northwest coast of Spain and spilled 64,000 tons of oil in the Atlantic Ocean. This spill has affected about 30,000 people directly, and is estimated that clean-up will cost approximately €5 billion, according to a WWF report. Given that the Mediterranean Sea accounts for 28% of the world’s oil traffic, the sea is at high risk for a spill of this magnitude. What should be done to prevent, as best as possible, a situation like this in the Sea? What should be done to prevent, as best as possible, a situation like this in the Sea? 1 million tons of oil is spilled, accidentally or deliberately, into the Sea each year, that is the equivalent of 15 Prestige spills. International attention and aid is brought to acute events, but not to the ubiquitous polluting. 1 million tons of oil is spilled, accidentally or deliberately, into the Sea each year, that is the equivalent of 15 Prestige spills. International attention and aid is brought to acute events, but not to the ubiquitous polluting. At what point will this daily polluting be considered a crisis? What can be done to alert the public and policy-makers that this should be dealt with before it becomes a crisis? At what point will this daily polluting be considered a crisis? What can be done to alert the public and policy-makers that this should be dealt with before it becomes a crisis?