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Story 03 Feb, 2025

IUCN Contributes to Achieving the Environmental SDGs in the Mediterranean

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN Med) is contributing to the implementation of 2030GreenerMed joining a common vision with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

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Photo: Mubadarat IUCN

The 2030GreenerMed is conceived as an agenda by and for all stakeholders in the Mediterranean region. It is owned, steered and developed by countries together with partner organizations. The Secretariat of the UfM supports the coordination and puts in place the appropriate collaboration tools. The agenda builds on the conclusions and consolidation of results of the H2020 Initiative for a Cleaner Mediterranean, the SCP and other programmes; and links to the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs), therefore integrating socio-economic aspect, and fostering close links with ongoing processes aimed at developing governance tools, launched in the framework of cooperation programmes and initiatives.

On the occasion of the 9th Union for the Mediterranean Working Group on Environment meeting on 29 January 2025, IUCN Med Director Maher Mahjoub and the Mediterranean Programme Coordinator Carla Danelutti presented major initiatives and collaborations to Mediterranean country representatives, sharing insights and engaging countries and stakeholders into joint planning for 2025, ensuring maximum regional coordination and alignment. IUCN focused their interventions on two key aspects integrated in IUCN’s Mediterranean programme of work, namely the new role as regional support centre to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) for the Mediterranean, and main policy recommendations on the EU Restoration Regulation.  

New coordination mechanisms for scientific and technical cooperation

At the fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 4) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Parties selected 18 regional organizations spanning the globe in a multilateral push to bolster the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) through science, technology and innovation. The selected centres are hosted by existing institutions that have responded to the CBD Secretariat’s call for expression of interest, among which IUCN Med. The mandate of the CBD centres for technical and scientific cooperation is to catalyze technical and scientific cooperation among the Parties to the Convention in the geographical regions they cover. As such, they will support the sharing of scientific knowledge, data, expertise, resources, technologies, including indigenous and traditional technologies, and technical know-how with relevance to the national implementation of the 23 targets of the Biodiversity Plan to build capacities.  

Leading a network of institutions based and operating for the protection of the Mediterranean ecoregion, IUCN-Med’s role involves close works with IUCN ECARO, the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD)​, the Belgium Museum of Natural History​ and key regional organizations including the UNEP MAP Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC)​, the Mediterranean Network of Marine Protected Areas (MedPAN)​, Committee of Mediterranean Forestry Questions – Silva Mediterranea​, Plan Bleu (Regional Activity Centre of the Mediterranean Action Plan), MedCities, and WWF North Africa​ among others.  

Advancing restoration efforts for the Mediterranean

The policy recommendations launched during the Interreg Euro-Med Cooperation project Dialogue4Nature Annual Institutional Dialogue for Mediterranean Nature of the Natural Heritage Mission last November, organized by IUCN Med in Málaga were also shared during this online meeting, and will be further discussed during the forthcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress next October in Abu Dhabi, including actions to  emphasize the precautionary principle to halt further degradation; prioritize passive restoration in marine environments; promote Nature-based Solutions; increase public awareness to build support; unlock the potential of innovative funding mechanisms; align restoration plans with climate mitigation and adaptation goals; and foster collaborative governance to overcome institutional and stakeholder fragmentation.

Focused on marine and coastal restoration, the Malaga event supported a key discussion towards the restoration of at least 20% of the world’s land and sea areas by 2030, as identified under Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework as well as the target of 30% of terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, and marine ecosystems in good condition by 2030 under the EU Nature Restoration Law. This was organized back-to-back with the 6th International Marine Science Communication Conference (CommOCEAN).