{"id":1135,"date":"2026-03-26T09:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T09:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/?page_id=1135"},"modified":"2026-03-31T14:41:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:41:29","slug":"mediterranean-coastal-zones-water-security-climate-resilience-and-habitat-protection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/mediterranean\/work-areas\/thematic-areas-and-key-projects\/water-energy-food-ecosystems-nexus\/the-mediterranean-sea-programme-enhancing-environmental-security\/mediterranean-coastal-zones-water-security-climate-resilience-and-habitat-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediterranean Coastal Zones: Water security, Climate Resilience and Habitat Protection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Mediterranean coast has been facing significant challenges due to uncontrolled construction, population growth, and a massive increase in tourism. These pressures have jeopardized environmental security and access to vital natural resources, such as Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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According to scientific data and evidence, climate variability will impact communities living close to the shores. At the same time freshwater ecosystems such as groundwater-related coastal wetlands as well as coastal aquifers, are significantly contaminated, subject to unregulated exploitation and lack specific management frameworks as well as laws and\/or policies for their protection. Under the Barcelona Convention, the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management provides the legal framework for the integrated management of the Mediterranean coastal zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cMediterranean Coastal Zones: Water Security, Climate Resilience and Habitat Protection\u201d (CP 2.1 of the MedProgramme) aims at improving water security, human and ecosystem health, and climate resilience in Mediterranean coastal hot spots. It is executed jointly by UN Environment\/MAP and two of its RACs (PAP\/RAC<\/a> and Plan Bleu\/RAC<\/a>), UNESCO-IHP and GWP-Med. The project\u2019s goal is to strengthen and expand Integrated Zone Management in the Mediterranean region and enhance sustainability of services provided by coastal aquifers and their related habitats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activities are structured around two Components\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Component 1: Coastal Zone Management  <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The aim of this Component is to promote coastal zone sustainability in beneficiary countries through the compliance with the ICZM Protocol and the adoption of national ICZM strategies, coastal plans and instruments, and improved gender equality. The Component supports the implementation of comprehensive ICZM approaches, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coastal zone showing the ICZM Protocol boundaries,groundwaters and waters defined by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (Credit: Brian Shipman, PAP\/RAC)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n