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  • Side Events (2627)

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Aichi Targets

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Side Event

Roadmap to achieve an effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected system of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean by 2020

Organizer
ACCOBAMS and RAC/SPA and MedPAN (Mediterranean Protected Areas Network)

Date and Time
25 June 2014 18:15 - 19:45

Meeting
Eighteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

In cooperation with the CBD Secretariat, MedPAN will share the situation of marine and coastal biodiversity, MPAs and EBSAs in the Mediterranean. The roadmap elaborated in 2012 to achieve the Aichi targets in the Mediterranean will be presented. Although it represents less than 1% of the global ocean surface, the Mediterranean is one of the world’s priority marine and coastal biodiversity ‘‘hot-spots’’. However, intense urbanisation, mass tourism, shipping traffic, overfishing, pollution and climate changes weigh on this environment. Most Mediterranean countries have increased their efforts to set up Marine Protected Areas to reverse this trend. The inventory of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas has identified 677 Marine Protected Areas that cover almost 114 600 km², about 4.56% of the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, 55 Marine Protected Areas are currently in the pipeline. However, despite the efforts deployed, the Mediterranean system of Marine Protected Areas is still suffering significant weaknesses: the system is not based on ecological representativeness and connectivity, most areas are currently coastal, it lacks effective management and sustainable financing as well as effective coordination among its stakeholders. To achieve the Aichi Targets in the Mediterranean, stronger political commitment as well as greater cooperation and new governance approaches are needed.