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Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and Its Protocols

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Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and Its Protocols CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND THE COASTAL REGION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND ITS PROTOCOLS OVERVIEW United Nations Environment Programme Coordinating Unit for the Mediterranean Action Plan Barcelona Convention Secretariat Vassileos Konstantinou 48, Athens 11635, Greece Tel.: +30 210 7273100 – Fax: +30 210 7253196 www.unepmap.org CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND THE COASTAL REGION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND ITS PROTOCOLS OVERVIEW The Mediterranean Action Plan • Barcelona Convention and its Protocols Legal notice Copyright Credits The designations employed and the presentation This publication may be reproduced in whole or in Photography : of the material in this document do not imply the part and in any form for educational or non-profit cover page and page 8 : © Mathieu Foulquié - RAC/SPA expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part purposes without special permission from the pages 3, 7, 12, 22 : © Marko Prem of UNEP/MAP Coordinating Unit concerning the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement pages 11, 16 : © Luis Marie PREAU legal status of any State, Territory, city or area, or of the source is made. UNEP/MAP Coordinating page 15 : © Public institution Priroda if its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of Unit would appreciate receiving a copy of any page 17 : © RAC/SPA, University of Seville their frontiers or boundaries. publication that uses this publication as a source. page 18, 21 : © WWF Mediterranean This publication cannot be used for resale or page 19, 20 : © Panagiotis Loakeimidis for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without permission in writing for UNEP/MAP Graphic design : Coordinating Unit. © David Andrade The Mediterranean Action Plan • Barcelona Convention and its Protocols A FRAMEWORK The first ever United Nations Conference capacities to identify better options environmental problems, and that FOR COOPERATION on the Human Environment was held in for development and sound decision meaningful and lasting environmental AND POLICY Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972. bases for the allocation of resources. protection is inseparably linked to social The conference provided the framework The MAP also endorsed the preparation and economic development. for comprehensive consideration of of a framework convention for the The MAP’s focus gradually widened environmental issues and encouraging protection of the marine environment from a sectoral approach to pollution a common outlook and direction in against pollution, as well as two related control to integrated coastal zone efforts to improve the situation through protocols that would provide a legal planning and management as the key cooperation and agreement. basis for cooperation in protecting the tool through which solutions are being The establishment of the United Nations Mediterranean marine environment. sought. MAP Phase II was designed, Environment Programme (UNEP) was taking into account the achievements one of the major outcomes of the The Convention for the Protection of the and shortcomings of the MAP in Conference. Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution the context of developments (Barcelona Convention) was adopted of environmental protection policies In 1974 UNEP established its Regional in 1976, together with two Protocols at the international level. Seas Programme with the scope of addressing prevention of pollution by coordinating activities aimed at the dumping from ships and aircraft, and protection of the marine environment cooperation in combating pollution through a regional approach. in cases of emergency. The three legal The Mediterranean Action Plan was the instruments entered into force on 12 first initiative to be developed under the February 1978. The Convention also Programme and became the model for made provisions for additional legal other Programmes across the globe. instruments to be adopted and was soon complemented by the Protocol In 1975, the Mediterranean States and on pollution from land-based sources the European Community approved the (1980), the Protocol concerning Specially Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) as the Protected Areas (1982), and the Offshore institutional framework for cooperation Protocol (1994). in addressing common challenges of environmental degradation. Although the MAP’s initial focus The MAP’s main objectives were to assist was on marine pollution control, the Mediterranean Governments to experience soon confirmed that assess and control marine pollution, to socio-economic trends, combined with formulate their national environmental poor management and planning of policies and to improve their development, are at the root of most 4 5 The Mediterranean Action Plan • Barcelona Convention and its Protocols The Action Plan for the Protection The MAP’s renewed focus was also exchange of information, and of the Marine Environment and the reflected in the amendments of consultation; Sustainable Development of the the Barcelona Convention legal Coastal Areas of the Mediterranean instruments. The Convention the promotion of the integrated (MAP Phase II), adopted in 1995, aims for the Protection of the Marine management of the coastal zones taking to achieve the following objectives: Environment and the Coastal Region into account the protection of areas of of the Mediterranean (Barcelona ecological and landscape interest and to ensure the sustainable Convention), adopted in 1995, provides the rational use of natural resources. management of natural marine and a substantially extended field of land resources and to integrate the application and defines the obligations The main objectives of the Barcelona environment in social and economic of the Contracting Parties in protecting Convention are to assess and control development, and land-use policies; the environment and contributing marine pollution; to the sustainable development of to protect the marine environment the Mediterranean Region. These to ensure sustainable management and coastal zones through prevention of obligations include: of natural marine and coastal resources; pollution and by reduction and, as far as possible, elimination of pollutant inputs, the application of the precautionary to integrate the environment in social whether chronic or accidental; principle in taking cost-effective and economic development; measures to prevent environmental to protect nature, and protect and degradation; to protect the marine environment enhance sites and landscapes of and coastal zones through prevention ecological or cultural value; the application of the polluter pays and reduction of pollution, and as far principle for the cost of pollution as possible, elimination of pollution, to strengthen solidarity among prevention, control and reduction whether land or sea-based; Mediterranean coastal States in measures; managing their common heritage and to protect the natural and cultural resources for the benefit of present and the undertaking of environmental heritage; future generations; and impact assessment for activities that are likely to cause a significant adverse to strengthen solidarity among to contribute to the improvement impact on the marine environment; Mediterranean coastal States; and of the quality of life. the promotion of cooperation in environmental impact assessment to contribute to the improvement between and among States, including of the quality of life. beyond the limits of their national jurisdiction, on the basis of notification, 6 7 The Mediterranean Action Plan • Barcelona Convention and its Protocols Seven Protocols addressing specific aspects of Mediterranean environmental In addition to national legislation INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK conservation complete the MAP legal framework: implementing the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, the Contracting Parties The 22 Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention are: Albania, have also adopted a large number of Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Protocol for the Prevention of The Protocol on the Prevention strategies, action plans, programmes, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea of Pollution of the Mediterranean and measures that facilitate and enhance Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft Sea by Transboundary Movements the effectiveness of the legal instruments Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, (adopted in 1976, amended in 1995); of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal at the regional and national levels. Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, (adopted in 1996); and the European Union. The Protocol concerning Cooperation The Contracting Parties transmit to The Contracting Parties decide on the in Preventing Pollution from Ships and, The Protocol on Integrated the Secretariat reports on the legal, MAP policies, strategies, budget and in Cases of Emergency, Combating Coastal Zone Management in the administrative, and other measures programme of work at their ministerial Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean (adopted in 2008). taken for the implementation of the level meetings, held every two years. (adopted 2002, replacing the related Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, They appoint Focal Points to review Protocol of 1976); and the recommendations adopted the progress of work and ensure the during their meetings. The Contracting implementation of recommendations The Protocol for the Protection of the Parties’ reports include information at the national level. A rotating Bureau Mediterranean Sea against Pollution on the effectiveness
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