Progress report for
An innovative financial mechanism to support the effective management of MPAs in the Mediterranean basin; a public-private commitment in a regional approach for local beneficiaries.
Achievement at a glance
The Association for sustainable financing of Med MPAs has significantly increased its partnership in the past years. The cooperation platform includes now 6 Mediterranean states Albania, France, Monaco, Morocco, Tunisia and Spain and 9 regional organizations involved in the conservation of Mediterranean marine and coastal ecosystems currently including the Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC), the Network of MPAs Managers in the Mediterranean (MedPAN), WWF-Mediterranean, IUCN Mediterranean Programme, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Conservatoire du Littoral ( French Coastal Protection agency), Oceanographic Institute Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, Mediterranean Small Islands Organization and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), all committed to foster MPAs establishment and management.The Association has adopted a sound strategy and action Plan organized around three main pillars :
1- Continued work on the institutional, legal and financial structure of a regional trust fund;
2- Intensified fundraising activities from public and private sources;
3- Initiation of a pilot phase to support the first set of MPAs in the south and east shores of the Mediterranean in Morocco, Tunisia, Albania, Algeria, Lebanon, Montenegro and Turkey
A global alliance of donors have been set up, mobilizing public and private funding.
Since inception, 9 million euros have been raised and pledged for the development of the Environmental fund.
To finance environmental activities, an investment strategy is developed in order to generate resources from 3 different funds : endowment, sinking and revolving funds.
Challenges faced in implementation
The main challenge faced by the initiative is to build a regional conservation trust fund flexible enough to support marine protected areas in different national contexts and robust enough to set up common tools and guidelines to foster regional partnership.Beneficiaries
The establishment and operationalization of the Environmental Fund directly benefits the financial status of 450 000 hectares of MPAs in Albania, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Algeria, Turkey and Montenegro as well as raising awareness of decision makers and government officials about the importance of MPAs in these countries.
Actions
60 000 have been granted to Kuriat Islands Marine Protected Area in Tunisia in 2017 and 2018 to :Improve sustainability and development of good practices and ecological uses with fishermen and tourist operators around the islands.
Improve knowledge and environmental education
Knowledge and ongoing monitoring of natural heritage
Territorial surveillance and environmental Police
Management and governance
Maintenance of infrastructures and running cost
30 000 have been granted to Al Hoceima National Park in Morocco in 2017 to:
Foster governance
Develop Scientific and participatory monitoring
Improve surveillance
44 000 have been granted to Karaburun Sazan Marine park in Albania in 2018 to :
Improve surveillance of illegal fisheries inspection & promote awareness raising activities.
Identify key indicator species or habitats for the monitoring of the MPA
Maintain equipments and visitor center
Foster governance and collaboration with stakeholders
The Environmental Fund helps finance the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services that local communities depend on for their livelihoods and food security.