On the occasion of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day, the United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) calls for accelerated action to achieve the global target of conserving at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030, highlighting the strong and longstanding regional commitment demonstrated by Mediterranean countries through successive ministerial declarations, regional strategies and coordinated action under the Barcelona Convention system.
The Mediterranean Sea is one of the world's richest marine biodiversity hotspots, hosting unique habitats and species that are increasingly threatened by climate change, pollution, habitat degradation, overexploitation of natural resources and the cumulative impacts of human activities. Expanding and effectively managing MPAs and, where appropriate, Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), is essential to safeguarding biodiversity, strengthening ecosystem resilience and supporting sustainable development across the region.
"On MPA Day, we celebrate the progress achieved by Mediterranean countries while recognizing the urgent need to accelerate efforts towards the global 30x30 target," said MAP Coordinator Tatjana Hema." The Mediterranean region has consistently demonstrated strong political commitment to marine conservation through a shared vision and collective action. MPAs remain our primary tool for delivering effective area-based conservation in the Mediterranean. While OECMs can make an important contribution, achieving 30x30 will require a significant expansion and strengthening of well-managed, ecologically representative and connected networks of MPAs across the region."
A Strong Political Commitment Across the Mediterranean
Mediterranean countries have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to marine biodiversity conservation through high-level political declarations, demonstrating a unique spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation in protecting the Mediterranean Sea as a shared natural heritage. The Portorož Ministerial Declaration (2021) called for strengthened action to halt biodiversity loss and protect marine and coastal ecosystems. The Nice Ministerial Declaration (2022) further reinforced the region's commitment to contributing to the global goal of conserving at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030. More recently, Mediterranean Ministers reiterated their determination to advance biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and sustainable ocean management through the Cairo Ministerial Declaration (2025). Together, these declarations reflect a clear and sustained regional commitment to implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and achieving the 30x30 target in the Mediterranean through coordinated regional action.
These commitments build on the long-standing regional cooperation framework established under the Barcelona Convention and its Strategic Action Programme for the Conservation of Biological Diversity and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Mediterranean Region (SAPBIO), which continues to guide regional and national efforts to conserve biodiversity and strengthen networks of protected and conserved areas throughout the Mediterranean. SAPBIO also serves as a key platform for fostering cooperation among Contracting Parties and promoting a common regional vision for biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management.
Supporting Sustainable Development Through Nature Conservation
Achieving the 30x30 target also contributes directly to the implementation of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) and its flagship initiatives, notably those aimed at achieving the 30x30 targets through MPAs and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures and promoting the protection and conservation of seagrass meadows, particularly Posidonia oceanica, which play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, coastal protection, climate resilience and carbon sequestration. These initiatives further demonstrate the region's commitment to integrating marine conservation into broader sustainable development efforts.
A Shared Regional Vision for 30x30
UNEP/MAP is currently working closely with Contracting Parties, the UNEP/MAP Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Center (SPA/RAC) and regional partners to develop a shared regional vision for achieving the 30x30 target in the Mediterranean. This work aims to identify the actions needed to expand protected area coverage, strengthen management effectiveness, improve ecological connectivity and ensure that conservation measures deliver measurable biodiversity outcomes. The process reflects a growing recognition that achieving 30x30 requires coordinated regional planning and sustained cooperation among Mediterranean countries and institutions.
The SEMPA Project: Turning Commitments into Action
To support Contracting Parties in translating these commitments into concrete results, UNEP/MAP is implementing the SEMPA Project, funded by the European Union through DG MENA. The project contributes to improving the management effectiveness of existing MPAs, strengthening governance and marine conservation planning, and supporting countries in expanding the Mediterranean network of protected and conserved areas. Through SEMPA, support is being provided for the development of management and business plans, ecological and socio-economic assessments, stakeholder consultations and sustainable financing mechanisms for priority sites across the Southern Mediterranean. Particular attention is being given to Bsis Island/Lebda Coast in Libya, Cap des Trois Fourches in Morocco and the Kneiss Islands in Tunisia, where the project supports the processes required for their potential formal designation as new MPAs, subject to national approval procedures.
At the same time, SEMPA is strengthening the management and long-term sustainability of Ashtoum El Gamil MPA in Egypt, while also supporting management effectiveness, climate change adaptation measures, ecological monitoring and stakeholder engagement in protected areas in Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. By supporting both the establishment of new protected areas and the improved management of existing sites, SEMPA contributes directly to increasing the coverage, ecological representativeness, connectivity and effectiveness of Mediterranean MPAs, in line with the regional vision for achieving the 30x30 target. The project builds on more than a decade of cooperation between UNEP/MAP and the European Union, which has supported the identification, establishment and strengthening of MPAs throughout the Mediterranean region.
New commitments and coordinated national action.
Further momentum is expected at the upcoming Regional Meeting on National Action Plans (NAPs) and Programmes of Measures (PoMs), scheduled to take place in Athens from 15 to 17 September 2026, which will bring together biodiversity and marine pollution experts, policy-makers and national focal points from Mediterranean Contracting Parties to strengthen coordination and support the integration of biodiversity conservation priorities into national planning processes. The meeting is expected to contribute to the identification of key biodiversity measures, including actions related to the establishment of new MPAs and the strengthening of existing conservation efforts across the region. It will also serve as an important platform for reinforcing regional cooperation, promoting the exchange of experiences and best practices among countries, and translating shared political commitments into coordinated national action
As the Mediterranean community marks MPA Day, UNEP/MAP reaffirms its commitment to working with Contracting Parties, regional organizations, scientific institutions, civil society and development partners to strengthen marine conservation efforts and advance a shared vision of a healthy, resilient and biodiversity-rich Mediterranean Sea. The progress achieved to date demonstrates the strength of regional cooperation under the Barcelona Convention system and the shared determination of Mediterranean countries to protect their common marine heritage. By continuing to work together through coordinated strategies, joint initiatives and collective action, the region is well positioned to accelerate progress towards the 30x30 target and deliver lasting benefits for biodiversity, coastal communities and future generations.
