UNEP/MAP and EEA reconfirm their continuous collaboration towards a sustainable Mediterranean

The United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) and the European Environment Agency (EEA) agreed on a joint work plan for the period 2016-2021, to contribute towards creating solid knowledge base and awareness among policy makers, civil society and the public at large, about the state of the marine and coastal environment in the Mediterranean and its sustainable development.

Meeting on the sidelines of the UN environment Assembly held in Nairobi Kenya, 23 – 27 May 2016, Messrs Gaetano Leone, Coordinator of the UNEP/MAP and Hans Bruyninckx, Executive Director at the EEA, reconfirmed their commitment to intensify the mutual partnership and increase the effectiveness of their work, illustrating synergies and complementarities.

“Building on the achievements of the 2006-2008 joint work plan, the present agreement aims to strengthen the science-policy interface in the Mediterranean region. It takes into consideration recent policy developments and shared achievements, and charts the path forward for the period 2016-2021”, said Leone.

The plan also underlines the role of information delivery and dissemination in supporting the implementation of policies, in particular the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) 2016-2025, the UNEP/MAP Mid-Term Strategy 2016-2021, the joint work programme between the European Commission (EC) and UNEP/MAP, the Strategic Partnership between UNEP and the EC, the EU Enlargement Policy, the European Neighbourhood Policy, the EU MSFD, and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Horizon 2020 Initiative.

The cooperation between the European Environment Agency (EEA) and UNEP/ Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) has a long-standing history. Over the last ten years, both organisations have worked hand-in-hand on strengthening the knowledge base and raising public awareness on the marine and coastal environment in the Mediterranean region and its sustainable development.