Marine litter was the main focus of two meetings organized by the UN Environment/MAP – Barcelona Convention Secretariat in the framework of “Marine Litter Week” in Barcelona, Spain: The second meeting of the Regional Cooperation Platform on Marine Litter in the Mediterranean (9-10 November 2017), and the first steering committee meeting of the EU-funded Marine Litter MED project (10 November 2017).
Representatives of 20 organizations, members of the Cooperation Platform on Marine Litter in the Mediterranean gathered to discuss the progress achieved during the first year of establishment of the platform. Mr. Gaetano Leone, UN Environment/MAP Barcelona Convention Secretariat Coordinator recognized the increased attention and important role that the platform has gained since its establishment as a mechanism to enhance efficiency, sharing of information and results, and complementarity of efforts. The meeting also discussed opportunities for synergies and partnership for the 2018-2019 biennium and for communication, providing the stepping stone for the Mediterranean Node on Marine Litter being developed.
The members of the platform also agreed on a number of priority themes and activities of common interest to be included in a joint work plan for 2018.
The first meeting of the Steering Committee of the EU-funded “Marine Litter MED” project, reviewed and assessed the implementation of the project by the UN Environment / MAP – Barcelona Convention Secretariat during the period June 2016 - June 2017.
The members of the Steering Committee acknowledged the progress achieved in the project coordination, underlining the development of the IMAP Candidate Indicator 24 on the effects of marine litter on marine biota and the support provided to the Black Sea Commission Permanent Secretariat for the development of the Action Plan and the Monitoring Programme on Marine Litter for the Black Sea region.
Mr. Gaetano Leone, Coordinator of the UN Environment/MAP -Barcelona Convention Secretariat, emphasized the importance of the EU-funded Marine litter MED project, and its contribution to the delivery of the 2016-2017 Programme of Work of UN Environment/MAP.
