1. Sub-regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points in the Middle East, North Africa, & West Asia Cairo, Egypt, 20-22 October 2009

2. Environmental management and protection in the Mediterranean Groundbreaking efforts since 1990 by Eastern and Southern Mediterranean countries Environment as a major national priority: establishment of ministries of environment, development of national environmental strategies, action plans and implementation of national projects Ratification of the Barcelona Convention Renewed and strengthened regional initiative - the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM)

3. Rationale for a new initiative Accentuated pressures on natural resources, especially water and land, due to economic and population growth Studies on the costs of environmental degradation (COED): losses in the order of 2.1 to 4.8% of the GDP of the countries of the region Food shortages Increased water stress from droughts Newly recognized emerging climate change risks (with a focus on the Mediterranean Sea as a shared large marine ecosystem) Continued need for institutional strengthening, sectoral reforms, capacity building activities and lack of reliable data for informed decision making Renewed and strengthened regional political committment - the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM)

4. Goal of Sustainable MED To integrate environment within the economic development agenda of the Mediterranean following a shared common approach.

5. Main Areas of Intervention Sustainable natural resources management, integrated coastal zone management, protection of marine resources and vulnerable ecosystems De-pollution – corrective and preventative measures - water treatment, solid and hazardous waste, industrial pollution, sea transportation, maritime safety Climate Change : resilience to reduced surface and groundwater reserves, and increased occurrence of droughts and floods (weather-related disaster management), carbon finance

6. Program Components 1. Governance Component: Common shared vision, Sectorial integration, Commitment of resources 2. Knowledge Generation and Technical Assistance: “Know-MED” 3. Investments : first-order environmental priorities

7. Sustainable MED Knowledge & TA Regional hub for knowledge development, dissemination and sharing of information on transboundary pollution reduction and improved water resources management, North-South and South-South cooperation, exchange of information and expertise, technology transfer, capacity building, and identification of new investments Increased knowledge on vulnerability of water resources to climate variability, droughts, and floods, and means to enhance resilience to climate change Enhanced investment project s cross fertilization, experience sharing and replication strategy (linkages between Knowledge and Investment Components)

8. Mediterranean Strategic Partnership

9. Projects under implementation : Domestic and industrial wastewater treatment in selected priority hotspots: Egypt: Alexandria – Lake Mariout management project (MSP) Coastal Cities Pollution Control 2 Croatia: Coastal Cities Pollution Control 2 (Phase II) (MSP) Coastal ecosystem management Neretva and Trebisnjica Management Project Bosnia and Herzegovina: Neretva and Trebisnjica Management Project (MSP) Montenegro: Habitat and nutrients reduction (MSP)

10. Submitted projects: Investment projects Integrated surface and groundwater management Egypt: Improvement of Water Resources Management Domestic and industrial wastewater treatment in selected priority hotspots: Tunisia: Treated Waste Water Reuse and Optimization Program Coastal ecosystem management Syria: Coastal and Orontes River Basins Water Resources Management Libya: Integrated Coastal Zone Management for Conservation and Economic Development Morocco: Integrated Coastal Zone Management for Lake Nador

11. Increased knowledge and Technical Assistance Projects Sustainable MED Governance and Know-MED Center Technical Support, Planning and Capacity for Waste Water Treatment and Recycling Technology (Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) Regional Coordination on Improved Water Resources Management and Capacity Building (TA) with Arab Water Academy and NASA Western Mediterranean Marine Highway Development and Coastal and Marine Contamination Prevention Project Assessment of climate variability and integration of adaptation measures into national strategies and regional plans for ICZM in the Mediterranean (UNEP) MNA Regional Climate Change Program (financed by EC, Italian Government, and other donors tbc)

12. Program approved by the GEF Council in its June 2009 meeting Overall envelop of US$ 50 million grant committed with approx US$ 700 million of co-financing Fully developed proposals (PIFs) for 5 projects, with a total co- financing envelop of US$ 30 million submitted and approved during the same June meeting Two additional proposals and under review by GEF Sec Remaining 3 proposals to be submitted within the next few weeks

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