Signing of a cooperation framework agreement between IFREMER and Plan Bleu

Jean-Yves Perrot, Chief executive officer of Ifremer (Institut Français de recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer) and Henri-Luc Thibault, Director of Plan Bleu, signed on 30th June, 2008 at the headquarters of Ifremer a cooperation framework agreement running on 4 years. The partnership is mainly concerned with marine sciences fields in connection with sustainable development in the Mediterranean basin.

Meeting of the working group « French federation for protected areas in the Mediterranean »

On 30th June 2008, Plan Bleu participated in the first meeting of the national working group « Federation for protected areas in the Mediterranean » of the French Regional Nature Parks Federation (FRNPF). This meeting, organised in Marseille jointly by FRNPF and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, aimed at creating a network of the different Regional Nature Parks of PACA, Corsica and Languedoc-Roussillon Regions. This network will, in a second step, open itself to other Mediterranean rim countries. The RNP represented (Camargue, Luberon, Verdon, Alpilles, Queyras) could thus share their experiences regarding on-going cooperations and projects between RNP and other Mediterranean territories, as well as define needs and priorities for the Mediterranean group working programme.

Workshop on Urban Mobility in Istanbul

On June 27th 2008, Plan Bleu organized a one-day workshop on Urban Mobility in Istanbul at the premises of Istanbul Technical University (ITU). Main findings and results of the study carried out by Haluk Gerçek from ITU and Orhan Demir from Planofis were presented and discussed. Twenty local actors and experts in the fields of urban planning, transportation and environmental protection participated to the workshop. Plan Bleu’s work on urban mobility in the Mediterranean area is financially supported by AFD, the World Bank and Veolia Environment.

Meeting between World Bank, ADEME and Plan Bleu

On 27th June, on the initiative of the World Bank, a work meeting was held in Plan Bleu’s premises to present the works in progress and those planned by the three institutions in terms of energy in the Mediterranean. <More...>

Crans Montana Forum, Monaco

Upon the Crans Montana Forum, on 26th June, Plan Bleu presented its environment and development outlooks for the Mediterranean region during a session devoted to the initiative “Union for the Mediterranean”. The speech focused on climate change and trends up to 2025 in the water and energy sectors.

Conference “Towards a Mediterranean Science Area”

From June 24th to 26th, Plan Bleu participated in the works organized on the initiative of the “Groupe inter-académique pour le développement (GID) de l’Institut de France”. These works aimed to foster reflection about the setting-up of a Mediterranean Science Area. <More...>

10th Cannes Water Symposium

From June 24th to 26th, 2008, Plan Bleu participated in the 10th International Cannes Water Symposium. Two papers were proposed in the framework of the workshops “An intelligent behavior facing climate change” and “Women corporate manager: water in the Mediterranean”. Besides, Plan Bleu was auditioned by the « Special Task Force on Integrated Resources Management (Water) » of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. Plan Bleu was also present on a stand in the exhibition space.

Mediterranean scientific conference, Workshop « The impacts of climatic change in Mediterranean Sea » Paris June 24-25, 2008

Upon the analysis of the political, economic, physical and social effects of climatic change in the Mediterranean, the workshop aimed at nourishing reflection on this topic. <More...>

Meeting between AFD, AECID and Plan Bleu

On June 23rd,  the first meeting of the coordination and follow committee gathering the French Agency for Development (AFD), the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID) and Plan Bleu took place at the Plan Bleu premises. The works of this committee made it possible notably to define, regarding the Plan Bleu work program, the allocation points of the financial support that AFD and AECID intend to jointly mobilize during the second half-year 2008.

Horizon 2020. Second meeting of the steering group

On Monday June 23rd, 2008, in Tunis, Plan Bleu took part in the second meeting of the Horizon 2020 Steering Group. Opened by Mr. Nadir Hamada, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development of Tunisia, the meeting made it possible to review the current status of the implementation of the timetable adopted in November 2006, in Cairo, by the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on the Environment. The actions whose progress report was examined during the meeting relate to identification of priority projects as regards pollution reduction, capacity building (technical support, training, workshops), research, review and monitoring. In particular, Plan Bleu takes part in the development of a set of specific indicators in order to build a scorecard for the follow-up of this initiative and to feed every two years a regional report.

Forum of local and regional authorities of the Mediterranean

On 22 June 2008, Plan Bleu participated in the first Forum of local and regional authorities of the Mediterranean organized in Marseille by the Mediterranean Commission of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). This forum was set up in response to the need expressed by local and regional authorities to create a permanent forum for expanding their involvement in the Mediterranean cooperation fora. The different workshops, of which those concerning “The environment, a factor of development” and “International institutions and financing”, aimed at allowing the local and regional authorities to share their diagnosis, working methods and common demands to States and supranational instances, and to improve coordination among themselves for more efficient actions. For further information: www.commed-cglu.org.

Green Week

On June 4th 2008 in Brussels, Plan Bleu participated in the Green Week organized by the European Commission. In the framework of the session “Making Mediterranean tourism sustainable”, chaired by M. Pedro Ortun, Director of the New Approach Industries, Tourism and CSR, in the DG Enterprise and Industries, Plan Bleu presented the impacts, challenges and options for the sustainability of tourism in the Mediterranean, before answering audience and press questions. More information: www.ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek