Under the theme "A good climate for change", high-level representatives of the Tunisian government, international organizations, Tunisian and international experts and civil society celebrated the Coast Day in the Mediterranean, in Gammarth, Tunisia on 25 September 2014.
Focused this year on Climate Variability and Change and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), the celebration was hosted by the Tunisian Ministry of Equipment, Land and Sustainable Development, represented by HE Mr. Mounir Majdoub, Tunisian Secretary of State for Sustainable Development in the presence of Gaetano Leone, Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme /Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP / MAP). In her welcoming address, Mrs. Zeljka Skaricic, Director of PAP / RAC recalled that the observance of the Cost Day has become a tradition in the Mediterranean since 2007. She highlighted that climate change, which is the theme of this year, "is added to the many pressures facing our planet. It is a joint responsibility to address this, therefore we are all called today to radically change our way of living."
Thanking the Government of Tunisia for the hospitality, Gaetano Leone said "our presence here in this beautiful Mediterranean coastal city to celebrate the Day of the Mediterranean coast, is a recognition of the importance and value of our coastal areas in our daily life”. ‘The Mediterranean is one of the most valued seas of the world but also one of the "hot spots" projected to experience major climatic changes in the twenty-first century. Among the impacts to Mediterranean ecosystems one can mention changes in temperature patterns and extremes, changes in the vegetation and forests, between 60 and 80% of current species under threat, less rainfall in our regions which will exacerbate drought and extreme event", he added.
Welcoming all the participants on behalf of the Tunisian government, Mr. Mounir Majdoub emphasized the need in the Mediterranean to have a good institutional climate for change. "To win the struggle against our challenges, we need ecological policies which can not materialize unless we rethink our vision of the Mediterranean based on a joint strategy founded on 4 main principles: the involvement of different stakeholders, sharing joint and differentiated responsibilities, precaution and prevention at political, societal and private levels and challenging the governance modes around the Mediterranean, he added".
The celebration witnessed the delivery of the award of Coast Ambassador for year 2014 to Dr. Anil Markandya. "I am very humbled and honored by this award, which is offered to me today. I will spare no effort to promote a policy of integrated coastal zone management in all instances", said Markandya who holds a Ph.D. in economics, with focus on environmental issues and who has done many studies in Croatia and Tunisia to introduce the concept of climate change in the integrated coastal zone management. He is also an author of the recent Climate Change assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Markandya is also President of the European Society of Economists of the Environment and Director of the Basque Centre for Climate Change in Spain.
To close the day, 17 associations active in the field of environment, had the opportunity to exchange experiences and network in the context of a forum organized for the purpose.
Background Information:
The celebration of Coast Day comes within the framework of the sister project of the UNEP/MAP MedPartnership project, on Climate Variability and Change. The events were organized by the UNEP/MAP Priority Action Programme/Regional Activity Centre (PAP/RAC), in close cooperation with the Agency for the Protection and Development of the Littoral (APAL) of Tunisia.
Since 2007, it has become tradition to celebrate the Coast Day in the Mediterranean. Its main purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of the coast as natural and economic resource, as well as to warn of the risks it is exposed to, due to natural phenomena and human actions. ICZM is extensively promoted as the optimal policy framework for achieving sustainable development of coastal areas. Thus, September 25 was chosen as the Mediterranean Coast Day after the date of when Slovenia ratified the ICZM Protocol as the first Mediterranean country to do so.
Each year the central Mediterranean celebration is organized a country. In parallel to this, local and national events are organized in all countries.
