Currently, 14 major international (10) and regional (4) conventions or protocols directly or indirectly deal with, or impact Mediterranean wetlands. Virtually all of them address the environmental or development policy level, 71% the legislative level and 57% the economic and social cooperation levels. Altogether, the 14 agreements cover 54 major subjects, including 3 policy, strategy and cooperation themes, 18 cross-cutting issues, 18 environmental, territorial, habitats and species themes, 8 economic and 7 social sub-sectors.
Since the early 1990’s, the trend has been for influential conventions/ events (MDG, CDB and World Summit on Sustainable Development…) to integrate environmental, economic and social matters under the concept of “sustainable development”. Currently, while Ramsar is the key convention for wetland protection, management and wise use, the Barcelona Convention is the key convention for territorial harmonization of environmental and development processes in Mediterranean region.
In addition, 15 major international (5) or regional (10) implementation facilities directly or indirectly influencing Mediterranean wetlands exist. All of them work in partnership and about 80% of them are attached to international or regional conventions, protocols and directives. The majority of them intend to influence environmental and development policies: 80% act at policy and strategic levels, 47% at legislative level and 40% through economic and social cooperation. Altogether, the 15 international and regional agreements cover 54 major subjects, including 3 policy, strategic and cooperation themes, 14 cross-cutting issues, 20 environmental, territorial, habitats and species themes, 7 economic and 6 social sub-sectors.
