HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COP 22 AGENDA

The 22nd Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols (COP 22) will take place on 7-10 December 2021 in Antalya, Turkey. The meetings of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, held every two years, constitute the principal gathering on environment and sustainable development in the region.

During the COP 22, the Contracting Parties, namely the 21 Mediterranean countries and the European Union, will have to examine a serie of documents and measures for their adoption. In particular, the Contacting Parties will consider:

• The ambitious UNEP/MAP Medium-term Strategy for 2022-2027 aiming at providing effective and integrated responses to tackle the global triple planetary crisis of climate, biodiversity loss and pollution in the Mediterranean with a view to contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean;
• The post-2020 Strategic Action Programme for the Conservation of Biological Diversity (SAPBIO), an integrated blueprint for biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean region that is aligned with the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and focuses attention and efforts on priorities outlined through regional consultations as part of an inclusive process driven by UNEP/MAP and guided by science. This will be complemented by a Strategic document on marine protected areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) with the aim of bolstering conservation and living in harmony with nature efforts;
• The bold action and measures to effectively combat pollution and marine litter, through the endorsement of a set of new or updated legally binding measures and timetables for their implementation to combat marine pollution, the Regional Strategy on pollution from ships (2022-2031), the Ballast Water Management Strategy (2022-2027) and technical guidance documents;
• The promotion of circular economy, including through support to green and circular businesses;
• The possible designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides (MED SOx ECA) pursuant to IMO MARPOL Annex VI;
• The Antalya Ministerial Declaration that will be approved following the insights and contributions to the dialogue by the Contracting Parties during the COP 22 Ministerial session which will held on 9, December, 2021 under the theme: “Towards a Blue Mediterranean: Leaving a Pollution-Free Legacy, Protecting Biodiversity and Sustaining Climate Stability”.

 

Visit the COP22 Antalya meeting page