The GEF Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Large Marine Ecosystem Mediterranean Workshop on ICZM Alghero, Italy – 19-21 May, 2008

The Mediterranean basin

Strategic Partnership: where is the action needed?

The Mediterranean basin: threats to its ecosystems 150 million people in coastal areas, 200 million tourists every year Inadequate waste water treatment Increased demand on land, water and natural resources Industrialization

The Mediterranean basin: Ecosystem degradation Uncontrolled coastal development Unsustainable fishing Conversion/degradation of critical habitats Invasion of alien species Raw sewage, solid waste, toxic waste Groundwater contamination and overexploitation of aquifers

Country response Investment needs Mediterranean countries committed to preserving the basin since 1975: MAP, Barcelona Convention (1976), LBS Protocol (1980) TDA (1997, 2004), SAP MED (1997) and SAP BIO (2003) Investment needs US$ 10 billion for pollution remediation (1997 estimate) US$ 140 million for biodiversity conservation (SAP Bio)

GEF Support for the Mediterranean Sea 1998: US$6.3 million grant for “Determination of priority actions for the further elaboration and implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Mediterranean Sea” 2004/ 2005: Initiate the GEF Investment Fund for Pollution Reduction in the Mediterranean Sea US$60 – 70 grant financing over multiple tranches and open to other donors’ contributions

The Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Sea: objectives To leverage reforms and catalyze investments that address transboundary pollution reduction and marine and coastal biodiversity conservation priorities identified in the Strategic Action Program to address pollution from land-based activities (SAP-MED) and the Strategic Action Program for the Conservation of Mediterranean Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity (SAP- BIO). The GEF project will assist the GEF eligible countries in implementing the two SAPs through a series of activities and demonstration/pilot projects covering a large field of domains such as legal and institutional reforms, pollution control, cleaner production, Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Integrated Water Resource Management, Aquifer management, PCBs phasing out, fisheries management and biodiversity conservation.

The Partnership would achieve its objectives through the implementation of two components: Regional Component: Implementation of Regional Activities for the Protection of the Environmental Resources of the Mediterranean and its Coastal Areas, implemented by UNEP, executed by UNEP/MAP and partners, and approved by the GEF Council in June 2007 Investment Fund for the Mediterranean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem Partnership, implemented by World Bank and approved by the GEF Council in August 2006.

The Partnership Albania UNEP Algeria WORLD BANK Bosnia & Herzegovina Implementing and Co-executing Agencies Participating countries Albania Algeria Bosnia & Herzegovina Croatia Egypt Lebanon Libya Morocco Montenegro Syria Turkey Tunisia Palestinian Authority UNEP WORLD BANK UNEP/MAP and its associated Regional Activity Centers (RACs): PAP/RAC, SPA/RAC, INFO/RAC, CP/RAC MEDPOL UNESCO/HP UNIDO FAO WWF GWP-Med MIO-ECSDE METAP

Replication mechanisms Steering Committee and Coordination Group Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean LME World Bank Investment Fund Investment projects, demonstrations UNEP/MAP Regional Project Reforms, capacity building Replication mechanisms Steering Committee and Coordination Group Component 1: Integrated approaches for the implementation of the SAPs and NAPs: ICM, IWRM and management of coastal aquifers Component 2: Pollution from land-based activities, including Persistent Organic Pollutants: implementation of SAP MED and related NAPs Component 3: Conservation of biological diversity: implementation of SAP BIO and related NAPs Component 4: Project Management, Co-ordination, Communication and Replication Strategies   Investment Fund Sub-Projects - Neretva and Trebisnjica River Basin Management (B&H/Croatia) - Alexandria Integrated Coastal Zone Management (Egypt) - Waste water infrastructure in Ulcini (Montenegro) - Waste water in small and medium cities (Croatia) - Water re-use (Tunisia) Implementation of SAP/MED and SAP/BIO in participating countries

The Regional Component Integrated approaches for the implementation of the SAPs and NAPs: ICZM, IWRM and management of coastal aquifer Component 2 Pollution from Land based activities, including Persistent Organic Pollutants Facilitation of policy and legislation reforms for pollution control; Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technology; Environmentally Sound Management of equipment, stocks and wastes containing or contaminated by PCBs in national electricity companies Management of Coastal Aquifers and Groundwater; Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM); Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Component 4 Project coordination, Replication Communication strategies, Management and Monitoring & Evaluation Component 3 Conservation of biological diversity Development of Med Protected Areas Promote of Sustainable use of Fisheries

The Regional Component – Project Component Integrated Coastal Zone Management To ensure sustainable management of Mediterranean coastal zones, with particular reference to international waters and biodiversity To provide assistance to national governments of the Mediterranean countries to manage their coastal resources in an integrated manner and in accordance with priority needs identified by ICZM Protocol (approved) Activities Support activities in preparation of National ICZM Strategies and National Action Application of ICZM approach, tools and technique in demo areas Pilot Projects Montenegro: Boka Kotorska Bay; Montenegro/Albania: Buna river; Algeria: the Reghaia wetlands, lake and coastal area

The Investment Fund Bosnia/Croatia - Neretva and Trebisnjica River Basin Management: The Project addresses integrated river basin management as a vehicle for reducing water pollution (GEF Grant US$ 8 million, total cost US$ 21 million) Egypt - Alexandria Integrated Coastal Zone Management: The project supports small scale investments to reduce industrial and domestic pollution loads in the hot spots of El Mex Bay and Alexandria; and strengthen the national framework for sustainable coastal management (GEF Grant US$ 8 million) Tunisia – Water re-use: the project will addresses land, climate change and water issues focused on water re-use as a tool to reduce the pressure on the Med ecosystem (GEF Grant US$ 5 million) Montenegro - Municipali waste water: the project would pilot low cost waste water treatment alternative methods in Bar and Ulcinj and improve the management and conservation of the wetlands in the Bojana-Buna Delta by extending the protection status form the coastal strip to the hinterland (GEF Grant US$ 6 million) Croatia waste water: the project addresses waste water in small and medium cities along the coast (GEF Grant US$ 5 million)

Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean: Funding THE REGIONAL COMPONENT: GEF Grant: US$ 13 million Co-funding: US$ 36 million Leveraging ratio 1:1 1:3 THE INVESTMENT FUND: GEF Grant: US$ 80 million (proposed envelope) Co-funding: US$ 250 million

Strategic Partnership Coordination Coordination Group Project Management Unit Steering Committee facilitate and foster synergies between the two components of the project and ensure that the Strategic Partnership as a whole is implemented in parallel; ensure country ownership of partnership processes; ensure policy reforms in participating countries, through the use of existing and well established Barcelona Convention and MAP structures and mechanisms; ensure that a resource mobilization strategy/financing mechanism is developed; ensure effective monitoring and evaluation throughout the lifespan of the project; and make use of Information/Communication and Replication Strategies as well as Knowledge Management products to influence policy changes in participating countries.

Next Steps Recruitment process Cooperation agreements with partners Establishment of the Project Management Unit, based in Athens Kick off - October 2008

Thank you for your attention Website: http://www.unepmap.org