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The 24th Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP24) to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and its Protocols (Barcelona Convention) concluded in Cairo on the 5th of December, after four intense days. MIO-ECSDE participated with a strong presence, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to supporting Contracting Parties and MAP Partners in advancing a truly sustainable development throughout the region.
Celebrating 50 years of the UN Environment Programme – Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) and 30 years of the post-Rio Barcelona Convention, COP24 convened under the theme “Mediterranean Blue Growth: Towards a Resilient and Sustainable Future”. The meeting took place in Cairo, Egypt (welcoming the Barcelona Convention community for the second time since 1991), with the Ministerial Session held on 4 December. Approximately 600 participants attended, including representatives of Ministries, UN agencies, research institutions, the private sector, youth groups, parliamentarians, and other civil society organizations.
A dedicated ceremony for the 50 and 30-year anniversaries of UNEP/MAP and the Barcelona Convention took place at the end of the 1st day of the COP. MIO-ECSDE Chairman Prof. Michael Scoullos was one of the panelists and shared with everyone, through a photo journey, a small taste of his long-standing presence (more than 50 years) and historically significant contribution to the Barcelona Convention system, since before the establishment even of UNEP/MAP in Athens, Greece or of the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development (MCSD).
The COP adopted the Cairo Ministerial Declaration, in which Contracting Parties committed, among others, to: accelerating climate action; working towards expanding marine protection to 30% of the Mediterranean area by 2030; reducing pollution, including through the elimination of harmful single-use plastics by 2030; transitioning to a sustainable, low-carbon blue economy and shipping sector; and strengthening inclusive local and regional cooperation and financing.
The MIO-ECSDE team actively contributed to discussions and solution-oriented exchanges during many sessions (in plenary, in side events, in the corridors) on:
- The Strategy on Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus in the Mediterranean Source-to-Sea Continuum
- Decarbonization pathways for the Mediterranean maritime sector
- Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a driver of societal and behavioural transformation
- Blue Economy approaches that balance economic development with ecosystem integrity
- The critical role of civil society and youth in ensuring transparent, accountable, and participatory environmental governance
A key moment of MIO-ECSDE’s participation was the delivery of the joint MIO-ECSDE–RAED statement during the Ministerial Session by Prof. Michael Scoullos, Chairman of MIO-ECSDE and Team Leader of the EU-funded WES-BCA Project, and Dr. Emad Adly, Founder and General Coordinator of RAED. Drawing from decades of environmental action and echoing the concerns expressed by the NGO community, and specifically at the major Mediterranean Forum that took place a little over a month ago, again in Cairo, they stressed the urgent need to reinforce governance structures and institutional collaboration:
“Governments are constantly running to catch up because of delays in strengthening governance structures, establishing robust institutions that work together, in transparency and with accountability, hand in hand with civil society.”
The Cairo-based member of the Circle of Mediterranean Parliamentarians for Sustainable Development (COMPSUD) Ms Noha A. Zaki, also participated and represented the Circle. COP24 appoved another 2-year term of COMPSUD on the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development. Ms Zaki reflected:
“At a time when the Mediterranean faces unprecedented environmental pressures, COP24 stands as a vital platform for collective action. Its importance lies in uniting governments, scientists, civil society, Parliamentarians and youth behind a shared responsibility to safeguard fragile ecosystems, strengthen climate resilience, and accelerate the transition toward a sustainable blue economy. Only through genuine collaboration can we ensure a thriving Mediterranean for future generations.”
COP24 will also be remembered for its decision to institutionalize youth and women’s participation within the Barcelona Convention system via the establishment of seats for youth and women within the MCSD. Among the major outcomes were the adoption of the new Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) 2026-20235 and a series of new Flagship Initiatives such as on the WEFE Nexus and the Mediterranean Youth Group.
MIO-ECSDE and COP24 Side Events
MIO-ECSDE contributed as co-organizer or speaker in numerous side events throughout COP24, engaging with a wide range of regional and thematic partners. More specifically:
- Together with the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), the Mediterranean Youth Group (MYG), the Be2aty Project and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), MIO-ECSDE co-organised a side event on the 4th of December 20205 in the morning, entitled “Navigating a Sustainable Mediterranean: Cultivating New Skills, Empowering Youth and Building Partnerships for Maritime Decarbonization”. The side event was the main Youth side event of COP24 and MYG presented to the Ministers and plenary the outcomes of the discussions. Also, a large part of the side event was dedicated to the results of the METAVASEA project and the 2025 survey (Wave 1), one of the most comprehensive datasets of its kind in the region, drawing on insights from 898 stakeholders (including 531 seafarers, 77 representatives of shipping companies, 10 ports, 36 suppliers and service providers and 244 civil society organisations), to map readiness, challenges, and perspectives on maritime decarbonization.
- On 3 December, MIO-ECSDE co-organised the side event “Blue Future: Inclusive Pathways towards a Regional Vision for Integrated Coastal and Marine Management”, together with RAED, PAP/RAC, the Arab Office for Youth and Environment (AOYE) and the Egyptian Sustainable Development Forum (ESDF). The session explored inclusive governance approaches and regional cooperation for integrated coastal and marine management.
- MIO-ECSDE represented the Innovative Sustainable Economy (ISE) Mission of the Interreg Euro-MED Programme at COP24. The side event “Pathways to a Thriving Mediterranean Blue Economy: Resilience, Innovation, and Sustainability” on 4 December brought together more than 50 policymakers, researchers and practitioners to discuss governance, nature-based solutions, sustainable tourism, blue jobs and inclusive growth. The session showcased tangible results from ISE Thematic Projects including 2B-BLUE, illustrating collaborative innovation in blue biotechnology, and AZA4ICE, highlighting advances in circular and regenerative aquaculture. More information about the event can be found here.
- MIO-ECSDE also contributed to the side event “Science, Education and Cooperation for a Resilient Mediterranean”, co-organised by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco, highlighting the role of science, education, youth empowerment and regional cooperation in addressing pollution, climate change and marine resilience in the Mediterranean.
- Head Officer of MIO-ECSDE, Anastasia Roniotes, was honoured to take part in the Women Leaders Dinner, kindly hosted by Egypt and co-organized with UNEP/MAP.
MIO-ECSDE remains fully committed to advancing the shared Mediterranean agenda for a sustainable, climate-resilient, and inclusive future. We will continue supporting UNEP/MAP, the Contracting Parties, other regional partners, youth, and civil society in translating the commitments of COP24 into concrete action on the ground.
We extend our warm congratulations to the Egyptian hosts and particularly to Dr. Heba Sharawy for the amazing hospitality, and to the UNEP/MAP Secretariat.
Read in French here