On November 23, 2023, the Union for the Mediterranean participated in a regional workshop organized by Plan Bleu in Marseille, titled "Towards Data-Driven Sustainability in the Blue Economy of the Mediterranean". Focused on the evolving Mediterranean blue economy, the workshop aimed to establish a comprehensive framework surpassing current indicators to gauge sustainability effectively.
The workshop, a collaborative effort involving diverse stakeholders from across the Mediterranean, including researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society, addressed crucial objectives:
- Development of a transition framework for a sustainable blue economy.
- Assessment of options and feasibility for monitoring progress in the region.
- Identification of indicators, data, and insights enhancing long-term monitoring capacity.
Notably, the outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the UNEP/MAP Blue Plan’s Regional Observatory on Environment and Sustainable Development.
The workshop's program featured two key sessions:
1. Expansion of the Indicator Framework (Technical/Academic Session): Experts such as Antoine Lafitte (Plan Bleu), Julie Idoux (DIRM – Direction Interrégionale de la Mer – France), and others detailed indicators that go beyond traditional metrics, aiming to monitor the interaction between economic activities and their environmental and societal implications.
2. Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement (Institutional Session): Representatives from Union for the Mediterranean, DGNEAR, DGMARE, JRC, UNIDO, and others engaged in collaborative discussions to promote an inclusive approach to measuring the sustainability of the blue economy in the Mediterranean.