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and activities could be complemented with and by PRIMA initiative, in order to ensure a stronger
impact at the regional level.
An example of a successful multilateral initiative is given in the box below:
Good Practice:
UNEP Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD)
Adopted by the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention in 2005, the MSSD results from a
consultation process that mobilised most Mediterranean stakeholders including governments, the civil
society through the participation of NGOs and key experts.The MSSD framework provides guidance for
national decision makers to address sustainable development issues, implement international agreements
and initiate partnerships.
It is also a benchmark against which the entire Mediterranean community can
monitor and assess its contribution to a common vision of a sustainable Mediterranean. The Strategy
pursues four main directions:
Contribute to economic development while building on Mediterranean
assets
Reduce social disparities and fulfill MDGs while strengthening diversity
Ensure sustainable management of natural resources and change consumption and production
patterns
Improve governance at local,
national, regional levels
The MSSD identifies priority fields of action: water; energy; transport; tourism; agriculture; urban
development, and; sea and coastal management. For each of these, orientations and possible actions are
proposed. In 2015, the Strategy was reviewed by the countries involved in the initiative, which agreed on
a new text for the MSSD. This text will be validated by Barcelona Convention Conference of Parties in
February 2016.
After endorsement of the new Strategy, expected in mid-February 2016, synergies and
alignment with PRIMA should be sought since both initiatives have the ambition to face Mediterranean
challenges of the future.
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Scope
of the Programme, priorities and challenges to be addressed:
definition of the three pillars of the initiative
and their relationship with
Euro-Mediterranean needs, current actions and
future development
PRIMA focuses on the development of
smart innovative solutions and the promotion of their adoption to
improve the efficiency and sustainability of food production and water provision aiming at the development
of inclusive and healthy Euro-Mediterranean societies.
Mediterranean countries share a number of characteristics related to geographical and physical features,
climate, vulnerable ecosystems, presence of large arid and semi-arid zones and areas characterized by severe
to moderate water scarcity. They have experienced long-lasting cultural, human and commercial
relationships that created conditions of interdependence among all the countries of the Mediterranean
region.
There is substantial evidence that this region,
particularly its Southern rim, is undergoing important political
and social changes linked to demographic trends, urbanization, food crises and natural resource degradation.
The sustainable production and provision of an adequate quantity and quality of food and water in the
Mediterranean Area are seriously threatened by the erosion of natural capital, human pressures, water
scarcity and climate change. This results in foreseeable consequences on the socio-economic conditions,
wellbeing and health of people living in the Area, the societal stability of the Region and the whole European
Union.
In the Mediterranean area, like in other regions
in the world, but with particular
importance due to the
natural
and political context, the Water-Food-Energy nexus today requires crucial action to ensure
economic and social development.
Water is by far the main strategic resource of the Mediterranean. The major problems of water resources
management in the region arise from the pressure to meet the increasing food and water needs in areas
characterized by fast-growing populations, water scarcity or limited water availability. In the near future, due
to the expected effects of climate change, pressure on water resources will probably increase. This is already
resulting in problems related to water scarcity as well as deteriorated water quality and the over-exploitation
of natural resources. In addition to the environmental impacts, water pollution and, particularly, the constant
increase in underground water salinization, are already limiting yield and damaging the mid-term soil
potentials to sustain crop yields. In parallel, the chronic water scarcity is often resulting in a non-equitable
access to water resources with negative effects on human health and conflicts at both the local and regional
level and among the several water users (agriculture, urban areas, industry, tourism as well as ecosystem).
On top of this, water scarcity in the Mediterranean basin might also result in trans-boundary conflicts,
particularly when there can be harmful effects on the interests of downstream water users due to upstream
activities such as excessive water use of pollution . As a consequence, ensuring
smart sustainable water
management is vital in the region. This is reflected in the recommendations of the Euro-Mediterranean water
expert groups and inter-institutional dialogues (Barcelona 2012, CRIA 2012, MIRA 2009-2012,
MedSpring/EMEG. 2013-2015) where the following water related problems were put forward for the Euro-
Mediterranean research agenda:
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Mismanagement and poor governance.
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Un-equitable water allocation and un-sustainable water management.
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Lack of a holistic and integrated vision.
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Need to increase competitiveness of research in water quantity/quality management in agriculture,
water use efficiency as well as management of non-conventional waters.
Food is a strategic priority for the prosperity and wellbeing of the Mediterranean region and Europe as well.
The renewed position of food security at recent G8 and G20 Summits is an acknowledgment that more