Governance and future of the blue economy in the Mediterranean region: possible scenarios, opportunities and tools

• Political will to implement sustainable policies, Rigorous scientific work (not only meetings) to articulate clear recommendations and priorities. EMUNI
• Voluntary commitment from Member States is key to address the challenges of the Mediterranean basin altogether under the auspices of UfM. IOC-UNESCO
• Higher restrictions in GHG emission in the Mediterranean Sea (Mediterranean ECA’s declaration), lower UW noise pollution due to the marine/maritime cluster and centralized UW noise monitoring system to be designed and established asap. CNR-INM (Italian National Reseach Council – Marine Engineering Institute)
• Blue economy has the possibility to become circular blue economy by adopting policies at regional ecosystem level, and tools by stakeholders, to transform towards sustainability. FAO
• trans-coastal cooperation; programmes for focused B2B-SME-development and clustering. MED JS
• Blue Biotechnologies for remediation and innovative bioproduction under climate change and invasive pests. INSTM – Tunisia
• A Mediterranean-basin strategy for marine restoration and protection. This should include a definition of clear targets, standards, regulations and certifications. It should also include the establishment of a common moral basis for action: marine systems should not just be viewed as serviceable commodities as this could create conflicting restoration/conservation objectives, e.g., where benefits to species or ecosystems that are more profitable to humans are prioritized. University of Bologna
• Reinforce the cooperation and coordination between different ministries at national and international levels to spur environmental sustainable use of marine technologies. CNR
• Integrate in efficiency way local actors to take the right development decisions. National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (Tunisia)
• 1-Continue to hold international and local meetings and meetings annually
  2-Setting a time plan for development and innovation in the field of tools and procedures used in development and follow-up
  3-Make recommendations and take care of them
  4-Networking with private sector organizations interested in green leadership, integrating with them and adopting recommendations
  5-Developing a spreadsheet that cares about monthly and yearly problems, monitoring and following them, and setting solutions for immediate implementation and non-postponement.
  6-Opening doors for all creative entrepreneurs to participate in setting the decision.  Ministry of Economy-Palestine
• It is important to reinforce the training courses focused on blue economy. Educate decision makers and future workers on this topic is quite important to get better governance within the next years. This could be done by encouraging universities, institutes to propose specific courses, sessions or summer schools open for Mediterranean countries (students).
  Also, It is essential to make the link (impact) between Blue economy and the other economic sectors (such us Tourism, industry, …)
  States could offer special action plan focused on blue economy (agreements, collaboration, charts, …) to improve this sector.  AMFORHT
• It is time for us all to take action to adapt the Mediterranean to the climate crisis we are experiencing.  It is a joint problem that requires joint solutions such as supporting the preliminary project Presa Puente Estrecho de Gibraltar: Adapting the Mediterranean to sea level rise and the Union of Two Continents.
  https://youtu.be/9bbFyKE2DWw  .  Presa Puente Estrecho de Gibraltar, SA
• To make possible, implement and/or develop co-management of marine fisheries.  Universidade de Évora, MARE
• Créer des délégations nationales ou régionales, même informelles s’il en faut, et promouvoir des événements décentralisés d’un façon régulière, tous les semestres, par exemple.  DynMed Alentejo – Associação para Estudos e Projectos de Desenvolvimento Regional Projectos de Dese
• Mise en place d’un observatoire méditerranéen pour la mer et les littoraux.  Association Tunisienne de l’Ingénierie Côtière, Portuaire et Maritime (ATIM)
• Faire le meilleur usage possible du potentiel que représente l’Economie bleue, d’encourager la croissance, l’emploi et l’investissement et de réduire la pauvreté surtout dans les pays du Sud-Med ; tout en conservant des mers saines en bonne état et en définissant une vision claire pour le développement durable et intégré des secteurs marins et maritimes au niveau national et dans le bassin méditerranéen.  Cluster Maritime Tunisien
• Apply and promote information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve access to information and increase effective participation of key users. Also, its application in the improvement of productive processes related to the blue bieconomy, such as blue biotechnologies, aquaculture, fisheries, management of marine protected areas, etc.  UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIA
• Maintain the dialogue among and with the stakeholders through establishing a regional platform to ensure transparency and open channels for information exchange.  RAED – Arab Network for Environment and Development
• In the case of fishing, support and strengthen the MEDAC and the GCFM.  Direcció General de Pesca i Medi Marí. Govern de les Illes Balears (Spain)
• Appropriate Governance for the promotion of Blue economy as a vehicle towards Sustainable Development should be both efficient and transparent. This, to a large extent could be secured through systematic information and awareness of all relevant stakeholders and balanced and meaningful participatory processes. Provisions for the latter are within the Aarhus Convention, which could and should be adopted and implemented by all Mediterranean countries.Other considerations:-           Establish a light coordination mechanism of all governance frameworks, policies, and conventions concerning the Mediterranean Sea (UfM, Barcelona Convention, Bern Convention, ACCOBAMS, General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, etc.) to facilitate enforcement and advance cross-policy synergies and coherence and their alignment with international commitments (post-2020 biodiversity framework).-           Advance knowledge sharing and joint research programmes.   Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE)
• Promotion of policies of sustainability and inclusion of innovative designs and materials into the general codes. Promotion of the advantages of such policies in development and maintenance of our coastlines and waterfronts.  ECONCRETE
• • To promote multifaceted and horizontal approaches in forthcoming projects while including a long-term perspective.
  • To promote the translation and adaptation of existing and emerging tools for the different regional contexts within the Mediterranean region.
  • To support quadruple helix approaches within transversal projects in order to address multi-stakeholder levels and multi-level governance.
  • To fund projects/initiatives that respond to Mediterranean challenges and can have a real impact at policy level
  • To encourage SMEs to engage in innovation networks and clusters and share knowledge and experiences on best practices and solutions to adopt sustainable approaches.   BETA Tech Center, UVic/UCC – Interreg MED Green Growth
• Il pourrait être intéressant de s’appuyer sur la Commission Inter-méditerranée (rattachée à la Conférence des Régions Périphériques Maritimes) afin de créer des GT thématiques visant à adresser les priorités régionales.  WPD OFFSHORE FRANCE
• Joint, international cooperative projects towards a clean, productive Mediterranean. Involve science as much as possible.  METU Institute of Marine Sciences
• Governance mechanisms for Blue Growth should be driven by an ecosystem-based approach that places coastal and marine ecosystem health at the core of any policies to assure the long terms sustainability of the services they provide.
  Especial attention should be given to land-sea interactions when applying Maritime Spatial Planning, assuring the engagement of all relevant actors, with a suitable knowledge base and applying the ecosystem based management approach.
  The principle of prevention must be applied to any planning approach to a coastal zone (i.e. coastal urbanization or coastal protection).
  Bioengeneering must be prioritized when possible.
  These principles must be recommendations to local, regional, state rules.
  From a local perspective, supporting the current decentralization and metropolization processes must be enhanced as well as engaging coastal cities and metropolis in the governance mechanisms as key actors for Blue Economy.
  Vertical communications and horizontal decision-making are needed to assure the permeation of these works/reflections into the society.  MedCities
• Create a multi-governance body including the main stakeholders.  Fundacion Valenciaport
• 1. Regions should have the authority to produce local legislation framework in order to face demands in spatial planning or maritime clusters; sea basin strategies as appropriate; low-emission technologies; sustainable products and services
  2. Harmonization in legal framework among Mediterranean countries could be the answer in the above challenges
  3. A co-founded project among Mediterranean countries could be established in order to assess member countries legislation framework and strategies in use, point out differences and needs for harmonization.   REGION WESTERN GREECE
• Adoption of a “Mare Nostrum” common policy among all countries.  University of Siena
• 1) Develop participatory approaches to take decisions building on dialogue mechanisms such as the BlueMed Platforms to implement a constellation in different countries by improving the dialogue with civil society, considering its importance (e.g. awareness, inputs, transparency, participation, consensus and support) and its specific technicalities (e.g. engagement at local level, language, ambassadors).
  2) Empower Maritime Spatial Planning as governance tool by promoting further research on multi-level governance and management of multi-stakeholder processes, improving the dialogue with civil society, in a science to policy approach. Coordinate approaches addressing coastal management and conservation of anthropogenic villages/ecosystems involving local communities.   National Research Council of Italy
• – Call on regional actors to develop a common strategic approach towards a Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE) aiming at achieving the SDGs in the Mediterranean region
  – Support the implementation of the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles (EC, EIB, WWF, WRI) through the adoption of financial tools (such as Blue Bonds, for instance), that can enhance marine and coastal resilience
  – Commit to better implement existing policies and strengthen compliance mechanisms and infringement procedures within regional organisations (EU, GFCM, ICCAT and UNEP MAP) with binding commitments
  – Increase synergies and coordination between relevant regional and global conventions to improve regional ocean governance and achieve protection of biodiversity and effective management of marine resources.
  – Advocate for the adoption of an ambitious international legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) in 2020.   WWF
• implication effective des populations lors de cadrage des actions, et aussi se référer aux enquêtes publics pour tous projet impliquant les populations autochtones
  il faut aussi renforcer les échanges d’expériences entres les communautés riveraines.  Ministère de l’agriculture, pêche maritime, développement durable eaux et forêts: département pêche maritime – Maroc
• A common platform to all involved would assist.  Malta Maritime Forum
• Link is needed between actions on the ground (local level) and policy-making processes (at national and Mediterranean levels) ; intermediary structures/organizations can help to make this link such as networks of actors and institutions working at sea. By gathering stakeholders for an effective management of the Sea and creating linkages with actions on the ground, networks facilitate relevant decision-making processes, at different levels.
  Networks of marine stakeholders are also needed as they allow exchanges between actors with common issues in different regional and local contexts, and generate creativity, problem solving and resource sharing.
  Attention is also needed on marine and coastal biodiversity protection when speaking about maritime spatial planning or blue economy. Tools such as marine protected areas must be considered and reinforced. Specific recommendations were developed in the framework of Pharos4MPAs Interreg project (coordinated by WWF) that should be considered.   MedPAN, the Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas Network
• – Exploit synergies amongst Blue Economy sectors and promote establishment of permanent clusters as strategic assets for sustainable Blue Growth.
  – Ensure rational use of funds and sustainable financial instruments to support all stages of Blue economy development – from Research and Development to market – preventing loss of accumulated knowledge and prioritizing environmentally sustainable solutions.
  – Promote a new paradigm for Blue Economy based on sustainability, developing a long-term vision and strategy and delivering concrete solutions to overcome environmental impacts.
  – Strengthen and enhance cooperation among all Mediterranean countries (EU and non-EU) ensuring data sharing, knowledge exchange, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, mobility of experts and professionals, with a shared environmental sustainability responsibility.
  – Promote the strengthening, alignment and integration of all the relevant strategies and initiatives capable of reinforcing multilevel governance and cooperation, towards a gradual and unique integrated long-term strategy for the Mediterranean or at least a solid coordination mechanism (not necessarily based on a governing board) that could see the light in the decade after 2020, with a strong focus on sustainable blue economy, a key sector in the Mediterranean.
  – Regular interaction and collaboration among the UfM and PANORAMED initiatives would certainly help increase the impact of governance actions undertaken and the capitalisation of relevant experiences of the Blue Economy in the Mediterranean.
  – The involvement of local and regional governments (EU and non-EU) is paramount in the governance of the Mediterranean. Coordination among themselves is also crucial to ensure coherent and true impacts of EU and Mediterranean policies on the ground, beyond being mere implementers. Initiatives such as the Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance, gathering, most networks of local and regional authorities in the Mediterranean, are key and should be consulted and considered when time comes to elaborate governance strategies at the basin level.   Med Blue Growth community
• A good governance of the Blue Economy in the Mediterranean requires a solid, inclusive and active multi-stakeholders platform to assess state of play, discuss options and propose actions related to the promotion of specific Blue Economy sectors and actors.  eco-union
• Usually in the South Med. countries, local governance is handled by the municipalities, who receive huge budgets to serve their local communities, with no role given to the public or any decision-making power upon expenditure choices. This entitlement is exercised in a non-transparent, bureaucratic way. In order to develop governance and render it effective and target oriented, support in this regard should be addressed to independent experts, who design and develop good governance and policies (in dialogue and consultation with the local community), with whom local authorities (municipalities here) have to cooperate-with in order to adopt and implement. In other terms, developing governance – policy should be done from grassroots, not imposed on them, as the case is in the South Med countries.  Green Community NGO
• Mettre en place un groupe d’experts internationaux indépendants en mesure de juger de l’efficacité des mesures faite en faveur de l’environnement (ex: mesure de restauration écologique doivent être évaluées par leur validation scientifiques, leurs gains réelles, les matériaux et process utilisés…).   ECOCEAN
• Parmi les mesures, nous proposons plus de coordination entre les différentes parties prenantes de la région ; plus de d’échanges (mail, rencontres etc).   Assistance Communautaire et Développement (ASCOM)
• Nous préconisons le déploiement de “headquarters régionaux”, meeting points de la Blue economy (Blue Clusters) , où toute la chaine de valeur est présente et représentée: les project leaders, policy makers, experts, agences de mesures d’impacts, médias et que ces headquaters soient connectés à une plateforme financière (Blended Finance) dédiée.
  Nous portons un projet en ce sens: NOAH ReGen (Network of Ocean Ambassadors Headquarters, ReGen pour Regénération).
  NOAH propose une approche holistique de structuration d’une croissance maritime écoresponsable (Sustainable Blue Growth) à l’échelon mondial, à travers 3 initiatives conjointes:
  1 –  le déploiement de Heaquarters (NOAH’s Arks) dans les grandes capitales côtières. Ces NOAH Arks sont des plateformes flottantes sur lesquelles ont vient construire des Blue Hubs (incubateurs de Start-Ups innovantes et Blue Labs qui boostent la R&D et apportent des solutions pour les capitales côtières en matière de: food safety, energetic transition, waste & sanitary management, coastal & biodiversity conservency…) par utilisation écoresponsable des ressources océaniques.
  Ces NOAH’s Arks (établissements flottants) complètent ces Blue Hubs en rajoutant des hôtels afin de permettre le financement de ces infrastructures, car les hôtels apportent un modèle économique concret, suffisamment performant pour englober le financement des Blue Hubs.
  2- la création d’une plateforme financière dédiée “blended finance”: NOAH’s BEIP (Blue Economy Investment Platform). Cette plateforme regroupe les institutions financières privées, publiques et philanthropiques et finance la “révolution bleue”: dé-risquer les projets, gérer l’assistance technique pour structurer les pipeline d’investissement entre les “projects sourcing” jusqu’à la “bankability”.
  Cette NOAH’s BEIP va financer des start-ups régionales pour les incuber dans les NOAH’s Arks et les mettre dans l’écosystème de collaboration idéal, en connexion avec toute la chaine de valeur. (Économie circulaire).
  3- la médiatisation, la digitalisation, la promotion des “best practices” pour viraliser les solutions: NOAH Blue Digital Pltaform (Big Data)
  Pour mener à bien ce projet, NOAH ReGen est en cours de création d’un Blue Consortium, structuré par l’intermédiaire d’une grande banque. Ce Blue consortium invite les acteurs principaux à développer leurs activités (croissance interne et croissance externe), à partir des NOAH’s Arks afin d’augmenter la croissance économique, tout en augmentant la régénération de l’écosystème. Ce sont des NOAH EcoReGion.
  NOAH ReGen qui est “project leader” de ce Blue Consortium, pourrait ainsi assumer le rôle de coordinateur, représentant le secteur privé au sein de l’UfM et ainsi devenir vecteur de croissance et de régénération pour les grandes capitales côtières.  NOAH ReGen
• -Mise en place d’une charte en soutien à l’économie bleue en méditerranéenne :
  -Multiplication des actions de sensibilisations des différents acteurs maritimes dans la région:
  -Création d’un cluster maritime méditerranéen;
  – Incitation les états à mettre en place des stratégies pour Mobilisations des ressources au profit à l’économie bleue en méditerranée. IMFMM
• La planificatin de l’espace maritime / pêche et aquaculture à petite échelle, utilisant des technologies modernes à faible émission de carbon / Développement de produits écosystèmiques / Créer une entité de coordination des projets intégrés autour de l’économie bleue comprenant le tourisme, la pêche, l’aquaculture, l’équipement, l’environnement, etc.  Institut National de Recherche Halieutique
• L’existence d’informations homogènes, harmonisées, partagées et de qualité est la base de tout développement régional. Il est difficile de définir, de convenir et d’analyser une stratégie régionale commune dans les différents domaines de l’économie bleue sans une solide compréhension de la situation actuelle dans les différents zones méditerranéens. Le degré de connaissance varie selon le domaine d’étude, mais il est fondamentale définir la base de partie et être capable de faire le suivi des politiques grâce à la definition d’indicateurs de suivi objectives. À mode d’exemple et concernant le domaine du transport maritime, une révision des connaissances partagées serait nécessaire. La nature stratégique de l’information est souvent l’argument utilisé par les ports, les gestionnaires des transports et d’autres acteurs pour justifier la confidentialité de leurs données, empêchant ainsi une connaissance détaillée du secteur dans la région et la proposition ultérieure de politiques et de mesures régionales plus précises. D’une part, il faudrait que les informations sur les ports ou les flux qui devraient être collectés dans l’ensemble de la région du point de vue des opérations, des marchandises, de la performance, des réglementations, entre autres, soient convenues avec précision, ainsi que leur définition, processus de collecte et traitement. D’autre part, l’engagement des acteurs impliqués serait nécessaire pour garantir la bonne application des processus et le transfert des données et des indicateurs obtenus.  Centre d’Études des Transports pour la Méditerranée Occidentale (CETMO)
• Sharing capacity, ُtransfer state-of -art of S&T, developing entrepreneurship in sustainable ocean economy sectors, design joint education strategies and programs, science-policy and education are among the inputs related to one of the highest priority topics in the Mediterranean agenda: capacity building and technology transfer. Tailored university programmes and blue skills actions oriented to bridge employability.  National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
• Research-development project.  INSTM
• Tools and actions are required. Solutions developed for central Europe will not work due to the environmental characteristics and socio-economic and socio-political differences. There is a common resource and so there needs to be common goals and standards to ensure environmental quality and safety is an objective of all. Common policies should be applied to blue economy development around the Med region. An “International Med region” should be identified and given special status, it should be a site that fosters and promotes common objectives, it should be an instrument to stimulate exchange of knowledge, training, translation for industry, ideas and ideals and cultural understanding. The mission (scientific, technology, monitoring, regulation for the Med) should be declared and should be undersigned by all.  It should be transdisciplinary and aim to build integration across fields to maximise benefit for the blue economy (aquaculture, bio exploration, biomaterials, sensors, denomination of product origin, technology, socio-political, socioeconomic etc).  Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve
• Associer de manière directe les différentes parties prenantes intervenant dans la mise en
  place des politiques publiques : Ministéres, Directions, Départements, associations, public,
  et en sélectionnant celles propices à y contribuer activement…
  – La valorisation des attitudes coopératives interdépartementales favorisant une
  compétitions constructive et en évitant les doublons, chevauchements, etc…   Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines – Maroc
• Governance is very important at UFM/Regional. I believe that Corona Virus pandemic showed the enhancement in the environment. In the future, we should apply policies and strategies that will lead to clean environment means less traffic, less pollution and less land abuse.  Lebanese University – Green Community
• Une politique maritime intégrée moderne devra gérer une gestion conjointe et intégrée, à la fois des activités du secteur
  maritime et des défis environnementaux, et aspirer à une croissance économique durable avec des avantages évidents
  pour la société. Dans ce contexte, l’adaptation de cette stratégie, sa mise en oeuvre et son évaluation nécessiteront un
  mécanisme de gouvernance spécifique garantissant son efficacité. Le champ d’application a 3 objectifs stratégiques :
  1. Utilisation de mécanismes de gestion et de cogestion innovants pleinement développés et consolidés.
  2. Un excellent conseil de gestion
  3. L’utilisation de la planification de l’espace maritime comme outil pour réaliser une politique maritime intégrée.   Barcelona Advocats i Assessors
• Promouvoir la collaboration entre les Associations de Ports de Plaisance des pays et régions méditerranéennes pour échanger des expériences pour un nouveau modèle de gestion basé sur la développement durable et environnementale, avec l’application de l’Economie Bleue et des TIC.  CIPPM
• Le développement de la coopération décentralisée entre les régions du Nord et du Sud de la méditerranée
  -L’adoption d’une stratégie relative à l’économie bleue par les pouvoirs publics.  Conseil de la Région de l’Oriental
• Panoramed project financed by MED Programme is a good example of enhancing the governance in the Mediterranean area, in this matter all Mediterranean countries are involved in the ETC Programme MED are participating as partners to the implementation of the three years project.Establishing shared, ambitious and positive long-term visions for the Mediterranean to facilitate the alignment of actors from different areas to advance towards common goals, in order to:
  • Developing a common governance in priority themes to align better MED, national and regional policies towards the common challenges and to promote collaboration among MED R&I actors towards common objectives.
  • Raising awareness of the urgency to address MED challenges by providing evidence of the impact and costs of current practices.
  • Addressing the SDGs requires from governments a broad policy mix, aimed at enabling innovation, experimentation, dissemination and networking, as well as facilitating structural economic change. Therefore, a better governance of innovation policies is key to align efforts of diverse actors and to address the sustainable development goals in more effective ways. Two main elements are comprised in our understanding of better governance: a more inclusive directionality of innovation policies toward SDGs and improved coherence of action in a multilevel and open governance framework.
  Orienting the calls for R&I towards MED priorities and challenges.  CPRM
• Promouvoir et encourager les métiers verts et insister les entreprises a s’orienter vers la stratégie 0 papiers.  ASSOCIATION DE PROTECTION DU LITTORAL A MAAMOURA – APLM
• La promotion de l’économie bleue au regard de la gouvernance et de la gestion rationnelles des ressources vise à soutenir les économies des pays concernés et à garantir les intérêts de leurs générations dans l’avenir
  la position de la région MED appelant à l’impératif de trouver des mécanismes de financement pour permettre aux pays en voie de développement de prendre en charge cette problématique dans le cadre d’une coopération internationale équitable et de renforcer les relations entre les partenaires de la Méditerranée et d’engagés pour le respect des principes de bonne gouvernance et pour une investigation plus efficace des opportunités de développement de l’économie bleue  offertes dans la région de manière durable.  cedar organization Algeria
• Il faudrait associer de manière systématique au préalable aux grandes rencontres entre états membres de l’UPM, les collectivités territoriales du pourtour méditerranéen et les associer sur les sujets d’actualité ou de débat, dans tous les cas il faudrait associer les réseaux les plus représentatifs de ces collectivités territoriales comme la MedCoopAlliance.  eurorégion Pyrénés Méditerranée
• Pour développer une bonne gouvernance des espaces marins et littoraux au niveau régional et promouvoir l’économie bleue, il est nécessaire que les pays de la Méditerranée partagent leurs savoir-faire, leurs stratégies, bonnes pratiques et surtout les leçons apprises des expériences non réussies. Au niveau national, la planification au niveau des zones côtières selon la vision de gestion intégrée des zones côtières exigée par la loi doit contenir impérativement une planification de l’espace marin. Il faut convaincre les responsables de cette planification.  Ministère de l’Energie, des Mines et de l’Environnement/Département de l’Environnement
• Faire du plaidoyer auprès des gouvernements pour soutenir les initiatives qui Favoriser l’employabilité des jeunes et des femmes à travers l’économie bleue.  ONG ASSISTANCE COMMUNAUTAIRE et développement ASCOM
• Des programmes de financement concrets et spécifiques afin de développer les politiques clé de l’UpM, puis une différentiation claire de l’institution et de ses objectifs.  Generalitat Valenciana
• Au niveau stratégique :
  – Adopter une stratégie globale de l’économie bleue durale et inclusive, adaptée à la vision de chaque pays de la méditerranée;
  – Mettre la concertation et la coordination institutionnelles au cœur du processus de prise de décision et promouvoir la convergence des politiques touchant au littoral
  – Mettre en place des mécanismes de financement de l’économie bleue et verte au niveau du littoral
  – Partenariat renforcé entre l’administration, le secteur privé et la société civile
  – Renforcer le processus participatif autour de la gestion intégrée du littoral
  Au niveau des outils :
  – Adapter l’offre de formation aux besoins des secteurs impliqués dans la mise en œuvre de la stratégie.
  – Observer et surveiller le capital maritime des pays de la méditerranée ;
  – Analyser les risques qui se présentent autour des métiers de la mer et du littoral
  – Investir dans la recherche scientifique et l’innovation ;
  – Favoriser la coopération et l’échange d’expertises entre les pays de la méditerranée et assurer une coordination entre les stratégies de l’économie bleue.
  – Proposer des objectifs régionaux et des indicateurs de performance par secteur permettant d’apprécier l’atteinte des objectifs de développement durable liée à la stratégie bleue.
  – Intégrer les impératifs de préservation, de protection et de valorisation dans les planifications sectorielles et dans les programmes d’investissement au niveau du littoral
  – Mettre en cohérence les instruments d’aménagement de l’espace avec les impératifs de la gestion intégrée du littoral;
  – Assurer la cohérence entre les programmes d’investissement au niveau du littoral en fixant des indicateurs idoines de cohérence
  – Développer et créer de nouveaux indicateurs économiques afin de donner aux décideurs une image plus précise de la santé d’une économie dans sa globalité, au-delà de l’étroite perspective du seul PIB.
  Au niveau des actions :
  – Création et développement des nouvelles lignes maritimes favorisant la stratégie globale de l’économie bleue;
  – Encourager le développement des infrastructures ;
  – Promouvoir les nouveaux métiers maritimes pour soutenir l’économie bleue et verte
  – Promouvoir la Recherche et l’Innovation pour le développement durable du littoral.
  – Mutualiser les systèmes d’observation, de surveillance et de contrôle.
  – Mettre en place un dispositif de coordination lors de la planification et la mise en œuvre des plans et stratégies publiques afin de favoriser l’intérêt collectif ;
  – Parachever le cadre législatif et réglementaire du littoral ;
  – Réaliser une étude d’évaluation du coût d’adaptation du littoral et identifier les mécanismes de financements à court, moyen et long terme.  DIRECTION DES PORTS ET DU DOMAINE PUBLIC MARITIME
• Further collaboration should be implemented at different levels: first, it would be important to bring together the knowledge by organizing working groups of experts, that could create a baseline for a transnational cooperation. Developing a comprehensive strategy and concrete actions at European level with an action plan to be then implemented at national/regional level could be another important step of the future scenario. Then, concrete actions, projects, initiatives etc., should be progressively rolled out at national and regional level, in cooperation with national and regional authorities, key stakeholders, and policy makers according to national/regional needs. The involvement of civil society organisations, especially in a North-South cooperation at basin level will be a key element for an actual and concrete Mediterranean cooperation able to tackle main challenges both at basin and at regional level. Promoting networking between CSOs could enforce the States action and make the achievement stronger. Enhance the civil society in Southern Mediterranean countries will allow to have allies for a better governance and lighter future of Mediterranean area. UfM direct or indirect funding for specific projects and on specific topics could make the difference in order to achieve good result in blue economy and in marine and coastal development.  Legambiente Onlus
• Panoramed project financed by MED Programme is a good example of enhancing the governance in the Mediterranean area, in this matter all Mediterranean countries are involved in the ETC Programme MED are participating as partners to the implementation of the three years project.
  Establishing shared, ambitious and positive long-term visions for the Mediterranean to facilitate the alignment of actors from different areas to advance towards common goals, in order to:
  • Developing a common governance in priority themes to align better MED, national and regional policies towards the common challenges and to promote collaboration among MED R&I actors towards common objectives.
  • Raising awareness of the urgency to address MED challenges by providing evidence of the impact and costs of current practices.
  • Addressing the SDGs requires from governments a broad policy mix, aimed at enabling innovation, experimentation, dissemination and networking, as well as facilitating structural economic change. Therefore, a better governance of innovation policies is key to align efforts of diverse actors and to address the sustainable development goals in more effective ways.  Two main elements are comprised in our understanding of better governance: a more inclusive directionality of innovation policies toward SDGs and improved coherence of action in a multilevel and open governance framework.
  • Orienting the calls for R&I towards MED priorities and challenges.  Emilia-Romagna Region
• Strengthening, alignment and integration of all relevant strategies and initiatives capable of reinforcing multilevel governance and cooperation is key (e.g. WestMed, EUSAIR, among others).
  Aim towards a gradual and unique integrated long-term strategy for the Mediterranean or at least a solid coordination mechanism (not necessarily based on a governing board) that could see the light in the decade after 2020, with a strong focus on sustainable blue economy.
  Coordination among local and regional governments (EU and non-EU) is crucial to ensure coherent and true impacts of EU and Mediterranean policies on the ground, beyond being mere implementers. Initiatives such as the Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance, are key and should be consulted and considered when time comes to elaborate governance strategies at the basin level.
  Potential for collaboration between the UfM and the governance platform of Interreg MED, namely PANORAMED, which has recently promoted dedicated strategic projects in the fields of Sustainable Tourism (SMARTMED & BEST MED), Maritime Surveillance (OSMoSIS and SHAREMED) and soon on Innovation. Regular interaction and collaboration among the UfM and PANORAMED initiatives would certainly help increase the impact of governance actions undertaken and the capitalisation of relevant experiences.
  The promotion of a new paradigm for the blue economy based on sustainability is of utmost importance to live safely and secure populations’ futures, developing a long-term vision and strategy and delivering concrete solutions to overcome environmental impacts. Mediterranean countries, regional and local authorities should work together towards the alignment of stricter thresholds regarding impacts on the environment.
  Exploiting synergies amongst blue economy sectors and promote the establishment of permanent clusters as strategic assets for a sustainable blue growth is also key to further develop governance and could well respond the above point.
  To strengthen and enhance cooperation among all Mediterranean countries (EU and non-EU) ensuring data sharing, knowledge exchange, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, mobility of experts and professionals, with a shared environmental sustainability responsibility should be sought too.
  Ensuring the rational use of funds and sustainable financial instruments to support all stages of a sustainable blue economy development – from Research and Development to Market – preventing loss of accumulated knowledge and prioritizing environmentally sustainable solutions should come in priority.  Intermediterranean Commission of CPMR
• -Foster cooperation between the North and South shores for the sharing of know-how and expertise;
  -Initiate regional R&D programs;
  -Create a regional aquaculture network for the sharing of know-how and the transfer of knowledge.  National Aquaculture Development Agency
• 1. The Mediterranean Region is well developed in terms of governance, policies, and tools in relation to Blue Economy. There is a room to strengthen several dimensions of this set up and improve the coherence of actions undertaken by all stakeholders at all levels. In this respect, governments and policymakers shall re-affirm the importance of the Regional Dimension, in line with the 2030 Agenda, as a bridge between global processes and national policies, and strengthen the competent regional organizations with mandate to promote blue economy in the region;
  2. Priority should be on further developing and implementing relevant approaches and tools such as Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), monitoring and assessment of marine and coastal environment, and assessment of trends and impacts of blue economy sectors. The UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention system and its unique institutional, regulatory and implementation framework for the protection of the marine and coastal environment, and sustainable development of the Mediterranean Region, provide a strong contribution in implementing the above – its role and capacity should be further enhanced to scale up the enforcement of global and regional commitments, and to advance through common legal instruments, strategies and policies, as well as scientific and technical programmes, projects and initiatives;
  3. Increased cooperation between relevant organizations in the region will enhance efficiency. The MoU signed in 2013 between UNEP/MAP and the UfM Secretariat is a good framework of collaboration; updating the list of activities under the Appendix of the MoU to specifically address Blue Economy and Climate Change, will strengthen the complementarities of the two organizations;
  4. Acknowledge and strengthen efforts to support the implementation of existing forward-looking policies and strategic frameworks for enhancing collaboration among different organizations and achieve best results at both regional and national levels. For instance, the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) 2016-2025, adopted at COP 19 of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols (Athens, Greece, February 2016), as a strategic guiding document for all stakeholders and partners to translate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the regional, sub-regional and national levels, dedicates its Objective 5 to “Transition towards a green and blue economy”, which is complemented by the UNEP/MAP Regional Action Plan on SCP in the Mediterranean. Implementation of the strategic actions of the SCP Action Plan should be further supported in a blue economy context, in particular for Food, fisheries and agriculture (FFA) and Tourism.
  5. The current emergency situation originating from the Coronavirus pandemic is expected to have devastating consequences on the fragile economies of the Mediterranean region, as it is hitting in particular economic and productive sectors that are crucial for the region and central to Blue Economy (e.g. tourism) – this will require innovative, rapid, and coordinated interventions building on the strengths and mandates of the various actors;
  6. Promote participatory governance by building on long-standing cooperation and commitments with various partners and stakeholders, including the youth, and establish effective multi-stakeholder, public-private, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary partnerships, including by accelerating the sharing of good practices. In that respect, the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD), which is the multi-stakeholder advisory body to the Contracting parties of the Barcelona Convention for ensuring interaction between environmental protection and sustainable development policies in the Mediterranean region, is a relevant forum for experience sharing. Gathering on an equal footing not only governments representatives but also stakeholders from various categories, the MCSD supports efforts in integrating environmental issues in socioeconomic programmes and, in so doing, promotes sustainable development policies in the Mediterranean region.
  7. Define forward-looking and innovative strategies, policies, and programmes to enhance Blue Economy in the context of sustainable development, taking into account the commitments of the Mediterranean countries under the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols which lay down important obligations and advanced standards for the protection of the Mediterranean marine and coastal environment. Based on the Naples Ministerial Declaration, adopted at COP 21 in December 2019, Blue Ecomomy is considered as a priority and this will be reflected in the UNEP/MAP 2022-2027 Medium-Term Strategy under preparation;
  8. Develop innovative financing solutions for the promotion of sustainable ocean- and sea-based economies, including through public-private partnerships and market instruments, and ensure rational use of funds and financial instruments to support all stages of the blue economy deployment, from Research and Development to market, preventing loss of accumulated knowledge and prioritizing sustainable solutions; Declaration, UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention, December 2019).  UNEP/MAP Barcelona Convention
• There is the need to better engage the public and the private sectors. Additionally, all administrative necessary processes to get marine permits should be much quicker.  Underwater Gardens International
• The Blue Economy is the Mediterranean faces different reality: UfM objectives, Barcelona Convention-UNEP/MAP regulatory activities system and the EU based on both socio-technical intelligence (Emodnet) and planning (MSP). While acknowledging this context and this interlinked governance dimension, the specificity and the intervention logic of the UfM/the region will need to be clarified and the implementation schema to put in place to articulate country and regional needs/projects that the UfM could promote and support precisely detailed.
  Bearing in mind this operative environment of the UfM, the key role of the SDGs to enable long-term vision and strategy delivering concrete sustainable solutions, the overall international legal package on marine and maritime affairs, the efforts for maritime planning (MSP), a set of key actions can be formulate to support the region/UfM governance aspects.
  The proposed set of actions relies on the knowledge gained on the conditions of Europe’s seas, in particular around the following 3 aspects 1) closing the implementation gap, 2) closing the knowledge gap, and 3) steer policy implementation efforts towards an operational systems approach.
  1) – Closing the gap between institutional set-up and implementation process. Possible way forward to close this gap would be for the responsible public institutions across different policies (environmental protection, fisheries, maritime transport, agriculture, waste management,  etc) to act in a truly coordinated manner and use the same information platform (e.g so that monitoring can properly inform on whether the use of the sea is sustainable). Such coordination supported by establishing a stronger integrative and participatory process for delivering across the policy objectives. It means measuring progress towards targets based strictly on scientific evidence; objectives and targets set within a realistic timeframe. And all these measures undergo a systematic and periodic evaluation of progress. This do not require new policy/legislation, but empowerment of public institutions so they adequately address politically agreed commitments. Increase empowerment would require adequate funding to deliver individual objectives within the agreed deadlines.
  2) Needs data and information for now and the future. This require both better use of existing data and also new data (includes use of novel ways for collecting, analysing and presenting information while ensuring gaps within existing efforts are closed), as well as better knowledge overall. Meaning becoming stronger in evaluating the measures put in place i.e check whether progress stay in line with expectations and to be able to react if not. A condition for this is to make evidence-based decisions for setting environmental targets and threshold values to determine “good” ecosystem condition.
  3) Steer toward a systemic approach. Require acknowledging the various temporal and spatial scales involved to achieve current and future vision i.e recovery takes time. Full integration within and across policies is a key element that the UfM can support and facilitate, to achieve such integration cooperating at various geographical scale (local, national, regional) and across scientific disciplines, businesses, countries and with citizens is more relevant than ever.  European Environment Agency
• One of the biggest challenges of the governance related to the Blue Economy is the diversity of economic sectors, research areas, administrations, and social entities involved. Coordination within each of these groups at regional/UfM level and among them is strongly needed and far from being achieved. Effective networks are crucial to identify cooperation and synergies to develop transversal projects exploiting the whole potential of the region in specific areas. Once achieved, duplication of efforts could be avoided, row materials concentrated if needed (circular economy), and investments optimized. The development of Maritime Strategies at national and subnational level could strongly support the governance mechanisms highly needed.  Generalitat de Catalunya
• The importance of promoting multilevel governance and cooperation for the further develop governance of the blue economy in the Mediterranean. These dynamics should facilitate the integration of the basin through a gradual and long-term strategy progressively aiming towards a macro-regional approach. This framework would favor the synergies between western and eastern Mediterranean. In this process, the involvement of EU-MENA-MASHREQ local and regional governments has become necessary already since a very early stage.
  -The Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance (MCA) can facilitate a space for governance promoting  collaboration between the Mediterranean regional area by facilitating the exchange of experiences between networks already working at regional and local levels, and relevant institutions such as UfM and other governance platforms, such as Interreg MED’s. These spaces will promote the capacity to increase the impact of multi-governance actions undertaken and the capitalisation of relevant experiences.
  – In this  sense, the MCA claims for a support to all  activities affected by the Covid-19 crisis,  with a specific focus on supporting sustainable tourism, green and blue economy, sustainable mobility, and biodiversity protection that are key elements of the sustainable development of the basin. The MCA also reminds the need to quickly make available funds to the “ready to start” actions and projects – and bring no cuts to cohesion funds.
  – The MCA, gathering most networks of local and regional authorities in the Mediterranean, will be ready to be considered and consulted when time comes to elaborate governance strategies at the basin level working alongside the UfM, as already recommended in the ARLEM report on Mediterranean integration (2020).  MCA – Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance
• “Inter-governmental coordination of European foreign policy to ensure the efficiency of the measures and policies adopted, and effective institutionalization of the UfM to enable projects to be coordinated, otherwise their results will be scattered and meagre.Thus Euro-Mediterranean cooperation depends on two closely interrelated levels: on the one hand, the coordination of European foreign policies (the will of the states on the northern shore) with regard to cooperation within the UfM, which, in order to be consistent and produce more substantive results, need a genuine institutionalization of this Macro-region (the will of the states on the southern shore) in order to ensure the governance of the policies and projects to be developed.A voluntary commitment on the part of the Member States is essential in order to meet the challenges of the Mediterranean basin’.  CCDRAlentejo