The Conference aims at reinforcing scientific and technological
collaboration between the European Union, the third countries of
the Eastern Mediterranean region as well as the Black Sea region
countries at a very high level, in a move to develop sustainable
scientifically-based strategies for the management and preservation
of marine ecosystems under threat.
During its presidency Greece, the only EU Member State situated
in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, is giving emphasis to the environmental
problems of this region and, in addition to the hosting of the present
conference, the Greek Environmental Initiative (GEI) aims to establish
long lasting links for the exchange of information and training.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The preservation of the environment is an issue of high priority
for decision-makers in the public and private sectors, for scientists
and for citizens in most countries within the European continent.
The promotion of sustainable development by increasing competitiveness
and employment can assist in achieving economic growth and can
help to prevent environmental degradation.
The Mediterranean and Black Seas regions have been the birthplace
and the centre of many civilisations and cultures for thousands
of years. However, the population of these regions has expanded
substantially over the last 50 years. Urbanisation, disposal of
industrial and domestic wastes, intensive agriculture and animal
husbandry, soil degradation, desertification and forest fires
are in fact only a few of the many factors which have exerted
pressures on the Mediterranean environment, and which now put
its integrity at stake. In addition within the region of the Black
Sea urban and industrial development has led to increase amounts
of waste from 17 countries in the rivers and the waters of the
Black Sea. Recently the heavy rainfalls in the region of central
Europe affected enormously the river flow of Danube with direct
effects in the coastal regions of the Black Sea. In the last 30
years the Black Sea has increasingly attracted the attention of
scientists, governments and the public at large as a region suffering
ecological deterioration. In the 1973-1990 period, 60 million
tons of bottom living animals were found dead (including 5 000
tons of fish). These phenomena may be linked to the increase in
mineral and nutrients river discharge (GEF/BSEP, 1997), the majority
of which (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the seawater originates
from the Danube basin. The sewage systems of over 10 million people
drain into the Black Sea coastal region. Over 100.000 tons of
oil is transported within the Black Sea every year.
The European Environment Agency and UNEP/MAP have jointly produced
a report focussing on the marine and coastal environment in the
Mediterranean Region. This report, which was prepared by the European
Environment Agency (EEA) and its European Topic Centre on the
Marine and Coastal Environment (ETC/MCE) in co-operation with
the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), gives an overview of the
marine environment in the Mediterranean Sea and its coastal zone.
One of the major concerns in the report is the scarcity or unavailability
of comparable and in some cases reliable data for the Mediterranean
basin as a whole. Multidisciplinary research is still needed is
several cases to be able to describe with certainty the state,
the impact and the resilience of the marine ecosystem.
The environmental crisis in the Black Sea resulting from anthropogenic
forcing, and accompanied by natural variability and climatic changes,
is manifested by dramatic changes in its ecosystem and resources.
The fishery yields have declined dramatically with 80% reduction
in total catch in the last few years, and only six out of the
26 species of commercially valuable fish of the 1960's remaining
in exploitable quantities. Irretrievable losses of some significant
delta wetlands and their habitats have taken place. Harmful algae
blooms (red tides) are frequently observed. Changes in the species
composition and community structure of plankton and loss of biodiversity
have taken place. The events in the Black Sea could be nature's
warning for other regions of the world. The Black Sea environment
is one of the most sensitive environments in Europe. The complex
societal-driven problems in the two regions should be addressed
with an innovative and multidisciplinary approach, and by involving
the principal stakeholders from the public sectors, the end-users
and policy-making sectors.
There are several EU and international research and action programmes
(MEDA, SMAP, LIFE Third Countries, DG Research/Marine Science
and Technology with two Mediterranean Targeted Projects (MTP 1
and MTP 2-MATER), DG Research/Environment and Sustainable Development
ELOISE initiative, INCO/AVICENNE, FAIR, RECITE and ECOS, OUVERTURE,
INTERREG, TERRA etc. and projects within them that deal with one
or more aspects of the environment in the Mediterranean. Furthermore,
a good share of other EU programmes which cannot be classified
strictly as environmental programmes, falling under ‘regional
development’ transnational and international co-operation;
telecommunication, etc, also have some important environmental
components. These arise also from the incorporation of environmental
concerns in sectoral policies and planning as requested by the
consolidated EU treaty. However, information on environmental
programmes, funding and projects within the EU is fragmented,
the environment being a transversal issue which is dealt with
by several Commission Directorates General (DGs).
Several environmental research programmes have also been developed
by many Black Sea countries and international organisations and
the European Union in order to address some of the issues facing
the Black Sea region. Among them are the Black Sea Environmental
Program is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) with
additional funds from CEC's PHARE and TACIS programmes and bilateral
contributions from Canada, The Netherlands, Switzerland and France;
the Environmental Program for the Danube River Basin; the EROS
2000 (European River Ocean System) project of European Commission
focuses on the Northwestern Black Sea; the Cooperative Marine
Science Programme for the Black Sea (CoMSBlack) is an international
research programme for the scientific study of the Black Sea and
is sponsored by IOC. Finally, other International organisations
such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Food and Agricultural
Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the International
Maritime Organisation also support specific programs in ocean
research and fates of radioactive substances.
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