Mediterranean Coast Day (25 September) is an annual observance introduced by the Mediterranean Action Plan of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP). PAP/RAC, the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre dedicated to the protection and sustainable management of the coastal zones, established Mediterranean Coast Day within the framework of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Protocol to the Barcelona Convention.
The official Mediterranean Coast Day ceremony, jointly organized by PAP/RAC and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), will take place on 25 September 2023 in Vlore, Albania, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania. This year's edition will focus on coastal aquifers. This will provide an opportunity to advocate for an integrated approach to the mangement of groundwater resources and the coastal ecosystems they underpin.
Groundwater resources are invisible, which makes their integration into spatial planning decisions challenging. According to the State of the Environment and Development in the Mediterranean (SoED) report, excessive extraction of groundwater is leading to a rapid depletion of aquifers in the region. This, in turn, causes several forms of environmental degradation, including land subsidence and seawater intrusion. In addition, most conservation and management efforts focus on human uses and tend to overlook Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs): wetlands, estuaries, lagoons, humid zones and other coastal habitats that host a myriad of plant and animal species. The SoED report highlights the potential for integrated coastal zone management approaches in the Mediterranean region to encompass the management of river basins and GDE.
The preservation of coastal aquifers is part of a broader push for more resilient coastal zones, considering the increasingly palpable effects of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste in the Mediterranean region. The full implementation of the legal instruments adopted under the Barcelona Convention through policies and coastal planning contributes to bolstering coastal resilience.
Everyone has a role to play
- Governments and national authorities: by implementing the ICZM Protocol, a comprehensive instrument that can serve to beef up coastal resilience. The technical toolkit developed under the ICZM Protocol, including Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), can address a range of environmental challenges that exacerbate the impacts of climate change: unsustainable urbanization and tourism, overfishing and pollution in its multiple forms.
- Coastal cities, local authorities and municipalities: by engaging with citizens in inclusive planning exercises. They can use planning tools recommended by PAP/RAC to preserve natural coastal areas and address climate change at the local level. This is crucial because adaptation matters most at the local level, where vulnerable communities are exposed to disruptive shocks that can upend their livelihoods, health and wellbeing.
- Citizens: by taking action to demand or promote coast-friendly policies and business responses. Purchasing choices at the supermarket, engagement with local authorities at the town hall and investment decisions can help entrench sustainability and reduce vulnerability in the coastal context.
Join us in marking Mediterranean Coast Day
The slogan of Mediterranean Coast Day (introduced in 2020) is “The Mediterranean needs you. If you put a seashell to your ear, you will hear it calling”.
Mediterranean Coast Day has become an annual regional festival dedicated to the sustainability and health of the coastal zones. On 25 September and during the week that ensues, several events and activities are organized by MAP Partners and Civil Society Organizations working in the region.
Here are three steps you can take to be part of this important regional celebration:
- Visit the Mediterranean Coast Day website, where you can find literature, communication assets and information about events taking place around the Mediterranean.
- Become an advocate for the Mediterranean coasts: consider organizing your own awareness-raising event for a healthy and resilient coast. If you are planning an event, please let PAP/RAC know.
- Take part in the digital campaign and help us spread the word on your favorite social media platforms by using the hashtag #MedCoastDay in your posts.
