Progress report for
Implementation of the UN Environment/MAP Regional Plan on Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean
Achievement at a glance
19 Mediterranean countries have established National Action Plans or Programmes of Measures addressing marine litter, and 17 Mediterranean Countries have adopted measures for the reduction in use of single-use plastic bags. 8 CPs have legislation and policies for recycling and more than 20 pilots from 9 different Mediterranean (Non-EU) countries are currently ongoing. Work has been carried for minimizing the use of plastic PET bottles and the use of microbeads in personal care products. More than 20 Adopt-a-Beach (AaB) and Fishing-for-Litter (FfL) pilots have been implemented since 2016. Several Contracting Parties have involved NGOs and other CSOs in several activities related to monitoring, awareness raising, and to some extent marine litter reduction and prevention measures.- Development and Implementation of National Monitoring Programmes (Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia)
- 19 National Action Plans/Programmes of Measures addressing marine litter;
- Banning of single-use plastic bags in 17 Mediterranean Countries (Regulations/National Laws including total and partial bans, taxes/levies);
- 8 Mediterranean Countries Legislations and Policies for Recycling;
- More than 20 Marine Litter Pilots in 9 Countries.
Challenges faced in implementation
Following the publication of the most recent marine litter regional assessments , national monitoring programmes are in place, with three common indicators, but the level of implementation differs from a country to another. Monitoring should be based on common protocols and standardized methods, at the regional level, when the lack of long-term assessment data makes the evaluation of trends difficult. The future directions include tailored capacity-building activities, more harmonized protocols, an Integrated Management Monitoring System (IMAP) -compatible Info-System, the further development of the risk-based approaches and new monitoring tools, a rationalized and science-based definition of baselines, targets and thresholds, and reinforced cooperation at sub-regional level. All actions from the Mediterranean Action Plan on marine litter are building on existing knowledge, best practices, and contributions from various actors focusing on policies, industry, fisheries, research and social aspects. A supporting documentation is associated to these initiatives, providing the scientific, technical, economic and political background to support a better management of marine litter.Effective management practices are still missing, requiring strong policy will and societal engagement. Cooperation and collaboration between the major marine litter partners in the region with common priority actions is therefore considered as important. The measures addressing/promoting the banning of single-use plastic bags and/or non-single use is one of the most common across the Mediterranean; that can be referred to as a success story of the Mediterranean region towards global efforts and marine litter targets.
Beneficiaries
Mediterranean countries