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Opening session:
 Prof. M. Scoullos,
Chairman of MIO-ECSDE presented the objectives of the event
The official opening of the
event was made by H.S.H. Prince Albert Hereditary Prince of Monaco
(Monaco is currently presiding on the Bureau of the Contracting Parties to
the Barcelona Convention) and Mrs. Rodoula Zisi, Deputy Minister for
the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works (Greece)
Brief addresses were made by
Mr. Dan Nielsen, Ambassador, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on
behalf of Mr. Hans Christian Schmidt, President of the EU Environment
Council, Minister of the Environment (Denmark) as well as by Dr. Veerle
Vandeweerd, Coordinator of the UNEP Global Programme for Action, on
behalf of Dr. Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of UNEP
Brief presentations of the Mediterranean achievements and initiatives
towards sustainable development followed:
The results of the Euro-Med
Ministerial Conference for the Environment (July 2002) were presented by
Mrs. Rodoula Zisi, Deputy Minister for the Environment, Physical
Planning and Public Works (Greece)
The outcome of the
Mediterranean Declaration for the WSSD was presented by Mr. Bernard
Fautrier, Ministre Plénipotentiaire chargé de la Coopération
Internationale pour l’Environnement et le Développement (Monaco)
Mr. Mohamed Ennabli,
Minister for the Environment and Land Planning (Tunisia) presented the
initiative of Agenda Med-21
Dr. Emad Adly, President
of the Arab NGO Network for Environment and Development (RAED),
representative of Mediterranean Environment and Development NGOs,
presented the Nice and Tunis Statements of Mediterranean NGOs
Brief overview of the main initiatives for Sustainable Development in
the region and the first results undertaken in the region under various
frameworks:
Mr. Lucien Chabason,
Coordinator of UNEP/MAP presented the Mediterranean Commission for
Sustainable Development (MCSD)
Prof. M. Scoullos,
Chairman briefly described the Global Water Partnership –
Mediterranean
Mr. Ramon Folch from the
City of Barcelona, representing also Medcities presented their
initiatives in brief
Representing the World
Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Mr. Francois
Kaisin of Suez also made a presentation.
Mme. Tokia Saifi, Secretary of State for Sustainable Development,
France, chaired a brief session of interventions from the Mediterranean
Ministers participating in the meeting. Ministers who participated:
Mr. Bozo Kovacevic,
Minister of Environmental Protection and Physical Planning, Croatia
Mr. Kostas Themistocleous,
Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Cyprus
Mrs. Rodoula Zisi, Deputy
Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works,
Greece
Mr. Bernard Fautrier,
Ministre Plénipotentiaire chargé de la Coopération Internationale pour
l’Environnement et le Développement, Monaco
Mr. Mohamed Ennabli,
Minister for the Environment and Land Planning, Tunisia
Main conclusions of the session:
Although the Mediterranean region is not a UN region in itself it
nevertheless is characterized by a number of initiatives and institutions
which are the direct follow-up of Rio and Agenda 21. It therefore is an
eventually promising example of partnership and governance towards
achieving sustainable development in an eco-region with water being a
cross-cutting issue. The event more than succeeded in passing this message
through.
During the event Mrs. Rodoula Zisi, Deputy Minister for the
Environment, Greece, jointly with Prof. Scoullos, Chairman of MIO-ECSDE,
Mrs. Margaret Catley-Carlson, Chairperson of GWP, Mr. Lucien Chabason, Co-ordinator
of UNEP-MAP, and Dr. Veerle Vandeweerd on behalf of Dr. Klaus
Toepfer, Executive Director of UNEP officially launched the Type
II initiative “MEDIES”(Mediterranean EDucational Initiative for
Environment and Sustainability) and presented the educational package
entitled Water in the Mediterranean which aims to facilitate Education for
Environment and Sustainability and promote Integrated Water Resources
Management. The overall objective of the MEDIES Type II Initiative (lead
partners: Greece, ΜΙΟ-ECSDE, UNEP/MAP and UNESCO) is to promote joint
educational programmes and materials on water and waste and create nuclei
of educators for Environment and Sustainability in all Mediterranean
countries linked through a Mediterranean Network.
Presentation of the educational package “Water in the Mediterranean” and
launching of the MEDIES Type II Initiative
From left to right:
- Mr. Mohamed Ennabli, Minister for the Environment and Land Planning,
Tunisia
- Prof. Mohammed Ftouhi, Club Marocain d’Education en Matière de
Population et d’Environnement (CMEPE), Morocco
- Dr. Emad Adly, Arab NGO Network for Environment and Development (RAED)
- Mr. Lucien Chabason, United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean
Action Plan (UNEP/MAP)
- Prof. Michael Scoullos, Mediterranean Information Office for
Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE)
- Mrs. Margaret Catley-Carlson, Global Water Partnership (GWP)
- HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, Hereditary Prince of Monaco
- Mrs. Rodoula Zisi, Deputy Minister for the Environment, Physical
Planning and Public Works, Greece
- Mrs. Veerle Vandeweerd, Coordinator of the UNEP Global Programme for
Action, on behalf of Dr. Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of UNEP |
