Conference of parties to the Barcelona convention (Almeria, January 15- 18, 2008)
France attended the conference of parties to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean, which was held in Almeria, Spain, from January 15- 18.
The French delegation was led by Laurent Stefanini, ambassador delegate for the environment.
The Barcelona Convention brought together all 21 states from the Mediterranean and the European Commission. The regional agreement, reached in the context of the UN Environment Program, is the only legal instrument for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against the various sources of pollution, and the preservation of its biological diversity. Links have been established with the Euromed partnership such as support for the Horizon 2020 initiative which aims to de-pollute the Mediterranean.
The conference studied the consequences of climate change in the Mediterranean where the ecosystem is particularly vulnerable. France, the main contributor to the convention budget, supports the efforts to reduce pollution from activities on land (80% of the pollution in the Mediterranean) and preserve biodiversity through the establishment of protected marine areas and coastal protection, based on a sustainable development approach. The conference was held in the context of the launch of the proposed Union for the Mediterranean which will include a segment on the environment and sustainable development.
After the Almeria conference, France signed the new protocol of the Barcelona Convention in Madrid on January 21 on the integrated management of coastal areas, in which it took an active part in the drafting.
For more information
See the Horizon 2020 initiative website
See the European page on the Integrated Coastal Zone Management
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