The Regional response for the protection of the marine environment and its marine living resources from plastic pollution – A concrete case from the Mediterranean
Event ID: IBZTH301
This side-event, co-organized by UNEP/MAP and the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Greece focused on advancing global efforts to address plastic pollution by showcasing progress and lessons from the Mediterranean through national and regional activities supported by the UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention system.
Date: 30 June 2022
Time: 10:00-11:15 (Lisbon time)
Venue: UN Ocean Conference - Altice Arena – Side-event room 1
Side-event overview
- This side-event was designed as a regional contribution to the global debate on addressing plastic pollution. The interventions and the panel discussion were aimed at informing the debate hosted by the 2020 UNOC and advancing global efforts on addressing marine litter, in particular plastic pollution, by showcasing progress and lessons learned in the Mediterranean, a regional sea where the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention have made notable strides on a common normative framework on marine litter, including plastics and micro-plastics, well ahead of the adoption of the landmark resolution for an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution at the UNEA 5.2. (February 2022).
- The side-event presented examples of concrete measures and up-scalable pilot interventions towards preventing and reducing marine pollution from plastics in the Mediterranean. It will also showcased proven national approaches and stimulated the sharing of experiences in meeting existing national commitments and targets to tackle plastic litter. Concrete solutions for a circular blue economy, including targeted actions and common shared solutions anchored to the SDGs, were presented.
- In addition to offering an overview of the policy response, the side-event spotlighted actions taken by the private sector, the civil society and stakeholders at large to tackle the multi-dimensional challenge of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. Only through a multistakeholder approach can the challenge of marine litter be tackled effectively.
Programme
10:00 Start of the side-event in Room 1 – Altice Arena, Lisbon
Welcome remarks by Mr Petros Varelidis, Secretary-General for Natural Environment and Water, Hellenic Ministry of the Environment and Energy, Greece
Statement by Ms. Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division, United Nations Environment Programme
The state of the environment and development in the Mediterranean and the policy response to the marine litter challenge, Ms. Tatjana Hema, UNEP/MAP Coordinator
Ocean literacy and citizen engagement as part of a whole-of-society endeavor against marine litter, Prof. Michael J. Scoullos, Chairman, the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE)
PANEL – Moderated by Professor Michael J. Scoullos, MIO-ECSDE
- Nipping marine litter in the bud: progress in the application of circular economy principles to tackle plastic pollution, Ms. Magali Outters, UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (MedWaves)
- Rallying fishers in fishing for litter, Mr Lefteris Arapakis, Co-founder and Director, Enaleia
- Efforts to boost enforcement of national regulation addressing plastic pollution through communication and partnerships with civil society, Ms. Sabria Bnouni, General Director, International Cooperation, Ministry of the Environment, Tunisia
- Q&A session - Discussion and interventions from the audience
Concluding remarks, Ms. Tatjana Hema, UNEP/MAP Coordinator
Concluding remarks, Mr Petros Varelidis, Secretary-General for Natural Environment and Water, Hellenic Ministry of the Environment and Energy, Greece
Learn more about this side-event by downloading the concept note and the side-event summary
