A new report on the environment and development in the Mediterranean region revealed that the data curve all - with the exception of the forest sector - indicates the degradation of the natural environment, which is a dire reflection on human health and livelihoods.

Cumulative environmental problems

The report was issued on October 21 by the "Plan Bleu" organization under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and it was covered by a statement issued by the program, which was published on its website.

With the exception of the forest sector, which witnessed stable growth, where the forest area reached 82 million hectares in 2015, compared to 68 million in 1990, the rest of the sectors experienced a bad deterioration.

Environmental pollution is at the top of the list of problems, as it is responsible for 15% of deaths in the region, according to the report.

The report also records that about 70% of the region's 512 million people (in 2018) live in cities that are considered one of the most important causes of global warming, and thus they are causing pressure on land and pushing strongly towards unwanted urban expansion.

Environmental complications

The waters of the Mediterranean are considered one of the most important areas in the world to attract tourists, as in 2017 it recorded about 360 million tourists, and it is also one of the areas that know a large movement in maritime transport.

In addition, its coasts receive 730 tons of plastic waste every day, in addition to the presence of about a thousand types of marine gases that pose a threat to local species.

These environmental problems are also likely to have complications due to climate change, because the region is among the regions that experience a high rate of warming, an increase of 20% compared to the global level.

Complications of climate change have resulted in dangerous phenomena such as desertification, water scarcity, recurring extreme environmental phenomena such as frequent floods and the deterioration of biological diversity on both land and sea, while about 48% of wet areas have been lost since 1970.

The Director General of the "Plan Bleu" Foundation, Francois Garcin, said in a telephone statement to Al-Jazeera Net that "environmental problems in the Mediterranean Basin are many and complex at the same time, and our report came in response to the request of many governments in the region and its goal was to paint the true picture of this." The bleak situation. "

Environmental pollution is one of the biggest problems facing the Mediterranean population (Pixabay)

Economic disparities and local solutions

It seems that the economic differences and the difference in the standard of living of the inhabitants of the south of the Mediterranean compared to the inhabitants of the north, will cause unpleasant consequences regarding the possibility of achieving sustainable development in the region, as it was stated in the report that it is not a candidate for achieving development goals by 2030.

Garkan told Al-Jazeera.net that "the economic differences between the north and south of the Mediterranean are clear and can constitute an obstacle for countries to make progress in the field. Therefore, we suggest and encourage solutions to be national and local."

Our interlocutor clarified that they aspire "for every country in the region to work out and implement solutions it deems appropriate and able to implement them, but on the condition that these policies be long-term in order to be effective."

The Mediterranean faces many complex environmental problems (Pixabay)

He added, "There are also, as we envision, solutions at the individual level for the peoples of the region by changing the lifestyle, and this requires great work to change the behaviors that we have inherited, which are consumer behaviors that do not take into account environmental sustainability."

Our interlocutor confirmed that his foundation, at the beginning of this year, formed a think-tank that includes environmental experts tasked with looking into solutions that can be implemented at the individual and governmental level, as part of a future vision that extends to 2050, a mission that was called (Med 2050).

It is expected that the committee will issue its first report next year on the occasion of the periodic meeting to be held by the Barcelona Convention Secretariat in Turkey.