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A. Securing the Mediterranean Dimension in International Policies and Processes

A1. Sustainable Development Strategy for the EU

According to the Amsterdam Treaty the European Union has declared "Sustainable Development" as its aim. During 2000 this process began with the objective of presenting a first draft of a "Sustainable Development Strategy for the EU" at the Council meeting during the Swedish Presidency (by June 2001).

During the meeting A Sustainable Development Strategy for the EU, 17-18 November 2000, Stockholm Sweden, organised by the EEB and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation with the support of the Swedish Ministry of the Environment and attended by the Swedish Minister of the Environment, the Chairman of MIO-ECSDE pointed out that the Mediterranean component was completely lacking as were other crucial elements such as the globalisation aspects. Similarly, it was clear that the Baltic initiative was not adequately in the scene.

Therefore, the Chairman proposed a consultation process between William Floyd of the EC Secretariat-General, Forward Studies Unit, the Secretariat of MCSD (Mr. Arab Hoballah or Mr. Lucien Chabason) and Christine Jakobsson Secretary General Baltic 21/Swedish Ministry of Environment, in order to make recommendations for the integration of the Mediterranean and Baltic inputs in the EU strategy, a suggestion accepted wholeheartedly by all partners.

Therefore, after intensive correspondence and in the context of the Commission's work on preparing an EU-level sustainable development strategy, MIO-ECSDE was invited as an expert to participate in a closed meeting on the coexistence of national and regional SD strategies fixed for 22 February 2001 in Brussels. Both the Chairman of MIO-ECSDE and Mr. Chabason attended the meeting on behalf of the Mediterranean. The Chairman was asked to edit the report of the meeting, which was then submitted for consideration to the Seminar on the EU Sustainability Strategy (SEI/Stockholm Region Office) held in Brussels March 25-26 (Assessment and Critique of the EU Sustainability Strategy). The Secretariat could not attend this seminar although invited due to a very heavy schedule.

A2. The Rio+10 Review process

MIO-ECSDE has played a role in preparing for the Rio Summit (1992), Rio+5 and during the second half of 2000 and 2001 it was involved in the necessary preparations in order to organize in 2001, in co-operation with other actors the input of Mediterranean NGOs to Rio+10. More specifically, MIO-ECSDE has been preparing for the co-organization of a major Conference on two issues (a) the review of progress achieved since UNCED, (b) the needed reforms and provisions for the more efficient implementation of Agenda 21 in the Mediterranean Region.

Efforts have proven very fruitful, since the major partner involved in this initiative is the European Rio+10 Coalition (within their "region to region" dialogue) in whose Steering Committee MIO-ECSDE participates. On May 10-11 the European Rio+10 Coalition will be holding its Second Annual Progress Conference. The Chairman has participated in all of the Steering Committee meetings either in person or mostly over the phone (teleconferences).

On the same overall issue, MIO-ECSDE also attended the International Workshop on a Framework for Multi-Stakeholder Processes (28-29 April 2001) organized by UNED Forum in and the PrepCom 1 of the World Summit on SD in New York.

A3. Green Week (Brussels, 24-28 April 2001)

As described in Bulletin 29, MIO-ECSDE strived to meet the mid-December deadline and submit a worthy, yet feasible, proposal, which would correlate well with the overall theme of Green Week, which is designed to publicize the 6th EAP of the EU and some of the MIO-ECSDE priorities of this year (Water, Public Awareness, EfES). Indeed our proposal to have a specifically Mediterranean section on Water in the form of a poster presentation and a seminar on "Water in the Mediterranean: Towards a joint action" was approved. Furthermore, our proposal to set up an exhibition of traditional water carrying vessels from around the Mediterranean was also approved. The Secretariat has spent much time and energy preparing both the seminar and the two exhibitions since the beginning of the year. The Secretariat would like to take the opportunity to thank Emel Anil, Mohamed Ftouhi and Michael Scoullos for their contribution of water carrying vessels to the exhibition.

The report of the session, complete with presentations will be available soon on the MIO-ECSDE Web page (www.mio-ecsde.org), by request from the Secretariat and in an up-coming issue of Sustainable Mediterranean.

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B. On-going communication with UNEP and UNEP/MAP

• MIO-ECSDE has kept the traditionally close contacts with UNEP and the Athens based Co-ordinating Unit of MAP/UNEP. The Federation has been invited to attend and contribute practically in all the meetings of MAP/UNEP and of its RACs (Regional Activity Centres).
• Moreover, the Chairman had the opportunity to meet twice and discuss with the Director General of UNEP Dr. Klaus Toepfer during the visit of the latter to Greece for a lecture on Globalisation and the Environment.
• Throughout 2000 UNEP/MAP has been running an evaluation scheme of its Mediterranean partner NGOs in order to draft a strategy for cooperation. It is noteworthy that MIO-ECSDE has rated the highest score, is in first place and has a significant difference from the next NGO on the list. Another noteworthy aspect is that many of the MIO-ECSDE member NGOs (national, international, etc.) are also included in this list of UNEP/MAP partners.

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C. MIO-ECSDE activities as partner in the GWP-MED (former MED-TAC)

The activities of MIO-ECSDE within the MEDTAC/GWP initiative were rich and intense during the period after the “Mediterranean Conference of Water Stakeholders and Decision Makers: Towards a Core for Action Plan”, Athens, 2-4 November 2000, organized by MEDTAC and MIO-ECSDE, which was a very successful meeting with a significant impact in the Mediterranean water scene.

MIO-ECSDE attended the MEDTAC members meeting (Marseille, 5-6 February 2001) and substantially contributed in its preparation by drafting part of the background documents (on the “Future of MEDTAC” and the draft “Rules of Procedure”). It was decided that MEDTAC should gradually be transformed from a regional -mainly consultative- body of GWP dealing with Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Mediterranean, to a Regional Water Partnership under the GWP umbrella, to be called GWP-Med. Several organizational issues of the new GWP-Med structure (administrative and decision taking bodies, Chair, hosting of the Secretariat, etc.) are pending on final decisions of the members, to be taken in the forthcoming MEDTAC meeting (June 2001) in consultation with the GWP Board.

MIO-ECSDE also attended the “Launching Meeting of the GWP 2001-2003 Work Programme”, Wallingford, UK, 17-18 February 2001. GWP activities are based on a 3-year Work Programme through nine regional water partnerships (among them the Mediterranean GWP-Med).

After a consultation process and detailed proposals by four of the MEDTAC members (MIO-ECSDE, IME, Blue Plan, MWN), MIO-ECSDE undertook the responsibility to compile the overall draft GWP-Med Work Programme 2001. The Work Programme for 2001 is a very rich and output oriented plan of activities that is expected to assist considerably in raising IWRM issues in the Mediterranean.

MIO-ECSDE is the Objective Leader of “Objective 1: Establishing partnerships and mobilizing political will”, divided into “Output 1.1: On the ground partnership established”, aiming to properly establish the GWP-Med partnership, and “Output 1.2.: Awareness raised and attitudes to water management changed”, comprising a variety of activities (conference, workshops, lobbying visits, information and education material). MIO-ECSDE will be responsible for the co-ordination of this part of the GWP-Med Work Programme 2001.

Considerable time and effort has been devoted by the MIO-ECSDE Secretariat (mainly V. Constantianos) and the Chairman on the MEDTAC activities, because they are considered a promising long-term investment for the work of the Federation and its membership.

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D. Core Funding 2000

The MIO-ECSDE Secretariat prepared and submitted to the European Commission by the end of March 2001, the Final Report for the 2000 Core Funding. The report was an impressive set of 2 volumes (the first volume is the report and the second volume is a heavy folder of attachments). The tasks to which we were committed, based on the contract, were all fulfilled with the exception of 1 publication on the Core for Action Plan which is at the printer’s and will be submitted very soon.

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E. Core Funding 2001

The proposal for the 2001 Core Funding of MIO-ECSDE by DG ENV was submitted well within the deadline in mid January. It followed the agreed actions decided during the 5^th AGM of MIO-ECSDE in November 2000. On April 6^th the Secretariat received a fax from the Commission asking for confirmation of the foreseen other sources of financing and (because the amount requested exceeds 150,000 EURO) a copy of the 1999 and 2000 budgets certified by an external official Registered Auditor (despite the fact that the Commission has already audited and approved the 1999 budget). The Secretariat made the necessary actions and contacts and the audit was completed successfully.

The decision of the Commission to fund this year’s proposed activities is still pending. In the meantime, the Secretariat has nevertheless begun the implementation of the proposed 2001 programme of activities.

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F. New Project relating to Education 

Participation in the “Nautilus” project

“Nautilus travels…” is a pilot project and is an environmental education network of schools (primary and pre-school level) primarily from islands and coastal areas in Greece, soon to be expanded to more schools also in other Mediterranean countries. Thematically, it places emphasis on the marine environment. MIO-ECSDE supports the network in its expansion phase through its network of educators throughout the Mediterranean, through participating in the production of the educational material (kit), the organisation of seminars, circulation of newsletters, organisation of contests, etc. An open ended Steering Committee has been formed, which at the moment comprises of 4 persons (Prof. M. Scoullos, Mr. V. Psallidas, Ms. A. Roniotes and Ms. Manoussou who is also the co-ordinator of the project)

Contacts with educators/schools from coastal cities-towns with interest on marine environment issues, have already been established in several Mediterranean countries through the MIO-ECSDE Mediterranean network of environmental educators and once funds are procured for the costs of translation and production into these languages this phase of the project will also be launched.

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G. Membership Issues 

The NGO Land and Human to Advocate Progress (LHAP) from Jordan applied for membership to the MIO-ECSDE Secretariat and the Executive Bureau proposed their approval to the Annual General Assembly. An issue that will have to be addressed by the AGM this year is the increasing number of applications for MIO-ECSDE membership from countries far from the Mediterranean (Central Africa, India, etc.).

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H. MIO-ECSDE participation in meetings

• Environmental consequences of the crisis in the Balkans (26 January 2001, Greece). The meeting was organised by Medecins sans Frontiers. The Chairman was invited and he represented MIO-ECSDE and made a presentation on the chemical pollution of the environment due to heavy metals released to the environment during the crisis (the text of this presentation is available only in Greek).

• Meeting of MEDTAC Members (5-6 February 2001, Marseilles, France). The meeting was attended by staff member Evangelos Constantianos and the Chairman Prof. Michael Scoullos.

• Launching Meeting on the GWP Comprehensive Work Programme and Follow up to the Framework for Action (19-21 February 2001, Wallingford, UK). The meeting was attended by staff member Evangelos Constantianos and the Chairman Prof. Michael Scoullos.

• Transnational Sustainability Strategies (22 February 2001, Brussels) (see also 5(a)). The Chairman of MIO-ECSDE, Prof. Michael Scoullos gave concrete recommendations.

• The role of Non Governmental Environmental Organisations in Contemporary Society (14 March 2001, Greece). The Chairman strongly supported the role of NGOs in general and of multi-thematic ones in particular during the meeting organised by the Institute of Strategic and Development Studies (ISTAME).

• Hydrorama 2001: Management and Quality of Water (22 March 2001, Athens). The event was organised by the Athens Water and Wastewater Company on the occasion of the World Water Day. The Chairman made a presentation.

• EEB Water Seminar: Implementation of the new EU Policy (the Water Framework Directive): Is the direction right? (30-31 March 2001, Brussels). The Chairman represented MIO-ECSDE and made many comments on the necessary steps for its implementation by the Mediterranean EU Members.

• MAP Cooperation with its partners in the civil society (19 April 2001, Barcelona). Main themes: Elements for a cooperation strategy, revision of the list of MAP partners, proposed action. The meeting was attended by V. Constantianos.

• Joint Consultative Meeting on the Harmonisation of the Implementation of the SPA Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean Region (20-21 April 2001, Valencia). Staff member V. Constantianos participated.

• Fifth Meeting of the National Focal Points for SPA (23-26 April 2001, Valencia). MIO-ECSDE was represented by Ms. Lily Venizelos of the member organization MEDASSET.

• UNED Forum "International Workshop, A Framework for Multi-Stakeholder Processes" (28-29 April, New York). The Chairman Prof. Scoullos contributed to the meeting.

• PrepCom 1 of the World Summit on SD (30 April-2 May 2001, New York). The Chairman Prof. Scoullos contributed to the meeting.

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