1. The GEF Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Large Marine Ecosystem Mediterranean Workshop on ICZM Alghero, Italy – May, 2008

2. The Mediterranean basin

3. Strategic Partnership: where is the action needed?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. 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

16. 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.

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

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