The Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) 2016-2025 provides an integrative policy framework for all stakeholders, including MAP partners, to translate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional, sub-regional, national and local levels in the Mediterranean region.
As a strategic document, the MSSD serves to:
- adapt international commitments to regional conditions;
- guide national strategies and stimulate regional cooperation in the achievement of sustainable development objectives.
The MSSD was adopted by all Mediterranean countries at the 19th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP 19) (Athens, Greece, 9-12 February 2016) (Decision IG.22/2).
Vision
A prosperous and peaceful Mediterranean region in which people enjoy a high quality of life and where sustainable development takes place within the carrying capacity of healthy ecosystems. This is achieved through common objectives, strong involvement of all stakeholders, cooperation, solidarity, equity and participatory governance
Rationale
Investing in environmental sustainability to achieve social and economic development
The MSSD is based on the principle that economic growth needs to be harmonized with the protection of natural resources, and to distribute the welfare dividend of the development process to all society.
The investment in the environment is considered as the best way to secure long-term, sustainable job creation and socio-economic development, and as an essential process for the achievement of long-term development for the present and future generations.
Objectives
The MSSD is structured around six Objectives that feed into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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MSSD Objectives |
SDGs | ||
| 1. Ensuring sustainable development in marine and coastal areas |  |
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| 2. Promoting resource management, food production and food security through sustainable forms of rural development |  |
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| 3. Planning and managing sustainable Mediterranean cities |  |
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| 4. Addressing climate change as a priority |  |
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| 5. Transition towards a green and blue economy |  |
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| 6. Improving governance in support of sustainable development |  |
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Implementation
The implementation of the MSSD is supported by the UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention system, in particular through the work of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD).
The Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) was created in 1995, under the auspices of the UNEP/MAP, as the multi-stakeholder advisory body of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and as a forum for experience sharing and peer learning on sustainable development in the Mediterranean region.
The MCSD gathers on an equal footing not only government representatives (22) but also stakeholders (18) from various categories: local authority networks, civil society/Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), socioeconomic actors, Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs), the Scientific community, and Parliamentarians.
The MSSD implementation is a collective process. The participation and efforts of all stakeholders plays a decisive role in its delivery.
Evaluation
COP 21 mandated the Secretariat, through Decision IG.24/03, to undertake in 2020-2021 the MSSD mid-term evaluation, which aims at making the Strategy implementation, at its second phase, more efficient and focusing on gaps, shortcomings and opportunities. A new MSSD for the period 2026-2035 will be issued following the final evaluation of the Strategy: MSSD Review process.
The MSSD Flagship Initiatives
Two important MSSD Flagship Initiatives are directly managed by the UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention Secretariat, namely:
- "Promote the “Environment Friendly City” Award”: Sponsored by the Government of Turkey, the Istanbul Environment Friendly City Award 1st and 2nd editions have been respectively presented at COP 20 (2017) and COP 21 (2019); the 3rd edition is on-going in view of COP 22 (2021).
- "Create and promote a Mediterranean business award for environmental innovation”: In 2020, SCP/RAC launched the Mediterranean Green Entrepreneurship Award in the context of the EU funded SwitchMed programme.
Other MSSD Flagship Initiatives are led by MAP Partners:
- The MedFund: Trust Fund for Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
- The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas
- MedUrbanTools
- MedPAN: the network of Marine Protected Area managers in the Mediterranean
- MedECC: Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change
- The Mediterranean Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development
- "Undertake regional assessments, as well as knowledge exchanges, of high- and low-tech solutions, that have been successfully implemented to achieve waste reduction”: MIO-ECSDE (MAP Partner, former MCSD Member) prepares activities under the EU funded Water and Environment Support (WES) Regional Project for launching this flagship initiative in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean.
- "Encourage the adoption and implementation of the Aarhus Convention on Public Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters”: MIO-ECSDE (MAP Partner, former MCSD Member) prepares activities under the EU funded Water and Environment Support (WES) Regional Project for launching this flagship initiative in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean and MEPIELAN (MAP Partner and MCSD Member).
- "Develop capacity building programmes on issues related to implementation and compliance with environmental obligations and agreements, including environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments”: The 18th Meeting of the MCSD (Budva, Montenegro, June 2019) discussed a concept note drafted by MEPIELAN to put in motion this flagship initiative.
Implementation of the 2030 Agenda and 17 SDGs in the Mediterranean
| Global | Regional (Mediterranean) |
| 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) |
| High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) | Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) |
| Volunteer National Review (VNR) | Simplified Peer Review Mechanism (SIMPEER) |
| SDG Index and Dashboards | Mediterranean Sustainability Dashboard |
The Mediterranean Sustainability Dashboard is a living set of indicators dedicated to the monitoring of the MSSD implementation. As international work on SDG Indicators progresses, the dashboard is regularly reviewed under the guidance of the MCSD Steering Committee, with the technical support of Plan Bleu Regional Activity Centre (UNEP/MAP). The indicators are populated to showcase observed trends, produce analytical factsheets, and prepare regional assessment and foresight studies on the interactions between environment and development. On-going work on the dashboard includes the integration of SCP indicators related to circular, green and blue economy.
The Simplified Peer Review Mechanism (SIMPEER): SIMPEER and peer learning experiences facilitate the transposition, implementation and monitoring of the MSSD and SDGs at the regional and national level, improving effective coordination between governmental departments. SIMPEER has the potential to support the preparation and follow-up of the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) presented by Contracting Parties at the UN High-Level Policy Forum (HLPF). SIMPEER helps Contracting Parties to identify common obstacles in the implementation of their national strategies on sustainable development. Plan Bleu coordinated the two first editions of SIMPEER with France, Montenegro and Morocco in 2016-2017, and Albania, Egypt and Tunisia in 2018-2019.
