Ministers from the 42 Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) countries agreed on Tuesday 2 February to intensify their efforts towards a sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean. They want to promote the recovery of the region's economies from the Covid-19 crisis and address the environmental and climate challenges.
Six years after the first UfM ministerial declaration on Blue Economy, ministers adopted a new declaration, firmly committing themselves to cooperate closely and address joint challenges in key blue economy sectors.
New joint activities and projects will be set up to support the overall shift towards low-emission technologies and circular blue economy, including skills for ocean and coastal economic activities, marine litter control, marine renewable energies and nature-based tourism.
The Mediterranean region is very exposed to climate change, and is warming up 20% faster than the global average.
The ministerial conference took place virtually, under the co-presidency of the EU and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in the presence of Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the UfM.
The European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, welcomed “the key step towards sustainable management of the Mediterranean – our common sea – and a contribution to the ambitions of the European Green Deal”.
Link to the ministerial declaration: https://bit.ly/3aoypTy (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)