For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020This initiative is funded by the European Commission through DG EuropeAid.
For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020By the end of June this year, MeHSIP-PPIF concluded the first in-country missions to Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia in order to obtain information on the progress achieved on projects addressing Mediterranean Hot Spots that have already secured funding. MeHSIP-PPIF is undertaking this exercise in close coordination with the consultant team appointed by the UfMS to update the priority investment projects for protecting the Mediterranean Sea from pollution and UNEP/MAP. In an attempt to further evaluate the operational aspects of financed projects, MeHSIP-PPIF is also working together with the Technical Assistance team implementing the “Sustainable Water Integrated Management – Support Mechanism” (SWIM-SM / EU-funded) to draw on their expertise and resources to carry out verification missions to projects that have reached operating phase. The initial survey of the ‘financing secured’ project (currently 50) and accompanied snapshot of these projects will be completed by MeHSIP-PPIF before the end of 2013.
Following the completion of the feasibility studies of all four projects, the focus of MeHSIP-PPIF is now on facilitating the funding options for these projects. For two of them (Lake Bizerte in Tunisia and Kafr El Sheikh in Egypt) the EIB has undertaken joint missions with the EBRD, accompanied by the MeHSIP-PPIF team. Furthermore, the initial approval of their respective applications to the Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF) has been secured.
The ‘Integrated Programme for Protection of the Lake Bizerte against Pollution’ was labelled at the UfM Senior Officials Meeting in Vilnius on the 3rd of October. It is the first investment project labelled under the Euro- Mediterranean Horizon 2020 Initiative.
The EU funded Horizon 2020 Capacity Building / Mediterranean Environment Programme closed the first half of 2013 with a much anticipated national workshop in Tel Aviv, Israel on a leading instrument for environmental decision support, namely the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). The two-day workshop, held on 18-19 June 2013, was entitled “Life Cycle Assessment: Data Collection and Databases” and was attended by more than 50 participants aiming to improve their knowledge of this integrated approach and also contribute to the development of an LCA strategy currently underway by the Ministry of Environment.
