Dear reader,
You will find in this report an overview of the main projects and achievements by the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med) in 2014 and 2015. Some thirty projects are running in the present IUCN Mediterranean portfolio to empower civil society and policy makers in preserving nature and achieving a sustainable development through cooperation in the Mediterranean.
The frame of action for IUCN-Med has focused around the IUCN One
Programme 2013-2016 areas. For Valuing and Conserving Nature,
the overarching theme, we are carrying out the assessment of over
3800 plant and animal species in the Mediterranean and the
identification and appraisal of important habitats, both at
terrestrial and marine levels. New red lists of ecosystems and habitats in
danger and green lists of well managed areas are also being
developed to assist policy making and informed decisions in
favour of conservation. The effective and equitable governance
of nature´s use is being pursued through cooperation with
Mediterranean institutions and governments, among countries
and among different society sectors. A participatory and
consultative approach involving public, private and civil
society stakeholders for a shared and integrated management
of natural resources leads the way into Mediterranean research
and measures for protecting and enhancing the knowledge and
use of nature at different levels in the short and long term.
Our work for the
To these ends, institutional relations with international and regional organizations such as the Barcelona Convention and FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean are consolidating, accompanied by new agreements with different governments and sectors at country and local level for specific environmental governance projects. As an example, IUCN-Med in the new FishMPABlue project is looking at governance models for the participation of artisanal fishermen in the management of fisheries resources inside and around marine protected areas.
Based on a strong demand from Members, training workshops and practical hands-on experience sessions for civil society organizations and government officials constitute a crucial element for the long-term sustenance of our projects. By compiling the best science available and spreading it through our networks, we are increasing the impact and empowering partners in achieving a sustainable Mediterranean. Capacity building, knowledge products and events are so ranging from the preparation of species and habitats’ red lists and conservation plans at national level to training for partners on administrative requirements for project proposals to European Union institutions.
On the operational side, IUCN-Med is strongly promoting the use of new information and communication tools to keep pace with the digital era and maintain contact with its partners and younger generations. Social media strategies have been put into place to energize the interaction with our associates and all those interested in protecting and valuing our natural resources.
In brief, IUCN-Med is ready to keep empowering Mediterranean governments and communities towards a more effective protection of our natural resources. Our gratitude goes to the Spanish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Environment, the Regional government for the Environment and Land Use of the Junta de Andalucía and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, for maintaining their support to IUCN to continue operating from Malaga. Furthermore, the financial and institutional support from the MAVA Foundation, the French Global Environment Facility, the European Commission and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a sign of the trust and credibility achieved by the Centre in its 15 years of work.
Likewise, a big thank you to all those individuals and institutions that collaborate with IUCN for a more united Mediterranean, particularly those in North Africa, without whom our endeavours would be unattainable. IUCN-Med will continue fostering, with your assistance, the integration of social, economic and cultural considerations into conservation strategies. And this can only be done through cooperation, joint innovative ventures and deploying nature-based solutions among Mediterranean societies.
We look forward to working with you towards a better valued and jointly-looked-after Mediterranean.
ANTONIO TROYA
Director and Programme Coordinator
IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation
