June 2008
A monthly e-newsletter by UNEP/MAP
IN THIS ISSUE:
UNEP NEWS
MAP COMPONENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
and BARCELONA CONVENTION
Biological Diversity Convention mets in BonnThe Barcelona Convention Ministerial meeting 2009 Energy and climate change at the heart of the
Conference of Parties of the Biological Diversity
to be hosted by Morocco
EU French presidency
Convention took place in Bonn, Germany at the end of May.
During a visit to Morocco, MAP Coordinator Paul Mifsud met
France has placed the environment, and in particular the
with Abdelkbir Zahoud, Minister for the Environment and
energy and climate change issue at the top of its priorities for
Kicking the CO2 habit on World Environment
Water, to discuss the terms of the host country agreement
the Presidency of the European Union.
Day 2008
concerning the 2009 Conference of Parties of the Barcelona
To mark World Environment Day 2008, the UN Environment
Convention.
Programme (UNEP) launched a "Kick the CO2 Habit" cam-
5th Conference of the Water Directors
paign to encourage low-carbon lifestyle choices worldwide.
The Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning
PRTR projects developed in the Mediterranean
and Public Works in coordination with the European Com-
A workshop to transfer knowledge and know how on the
mission and the French Presidency of the European Union
implementation of the PRTR system (Pollutant Release and
organise the "5th Conference of the Water Directors of the
Transfer Register) outside the Mediterranean region was at-
Euro-Mediterranean and Southeastern European Countries"
tended by MEDPOL representative in Porto Alegre, Brazil on
that will take place on 21 and 22 July 2008, in Athens, Greece.
2--26 June.
Handbook on Maritime Spatial Planning
The fi nal output of the PlanCoast project, i.e. the Handbook
on Integrated Maritime Spatial Planning, has been published
and is currently being disseminated through the PAP/RAC
network.

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INDEX
UNEP NEWS
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION
manufacturers contributed more to the greening of
gas emissions are continuing to rise across the
UNEP NEWS
MEETS IN BONN
global lifestyles.
globe with transport including aviation one of the
The Conference
For example studies indicate that if every airline
fastest growing sources. Yet there are countless
Biological diversity
of Parties of the
passenger reduced to below 20Kg the weight of
management, policy and technological opportunities
convention meets in
Biological Diversity
goods and items carried and bought what they
for dramatically changing this trajectory through
Bonn
Convention took
needed on arrival at a duty-free lounge, this could
more intelligent choices by governments, industry
place in Bonn,
cut global greenhouse gas emissions by two million
and the global public".
Kicking the CO2
Germany at the end
tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year.
"Some of these choices are big--from smart taxes
habit on world
of May.
Other low-carbon lifestyle choices at home and
to encourage offshore wind farms as opposed to
environment day
Of particular
when traveling include:
more coal-fi red power stations to national policies
2008
relevance to the overall work of UNEP and of
· Backing campaigns to encourage airlines to give
that favour cleaner and greener forms of mobility up
UNEP/MAP in particular are the decisions made
free coach and rail miles instead of free air miles in
to ones that promote energy effi ciency rather than
during the meeting on 2010 targets, marine and
order to promote switches to more environmentally-
energy consumption," he said.
coastal species, ecosystem approach, monitoring
friendly forms of transport.

"Others are small, such as
and assessment. DEPI Director Ibrahim Thiaw, who
· Waking up with a traditional
perhaps thinking about which
attended the COP, recommended that such decisions
wind-up alarm clock rather
appliances we buy, how we
be looked at and integrated in the UNEP Programme
than the beep of an electronic
travel and where we source our
of Work 2010-2011.
one--this can save someone
energy. But multiplied across
almost 48 grams (g) of CO2
the world and acted upon by 6.7
each day.
billion people, the public have
KICKING THE CO2 HABIT ON WORLD
· Choosing to dry clothes on
the power to change the future--
ENVIRONMENT DAY 2008
a washing line versus a tumble
have the power to personally and
To mark World Environment Day 2008, the UN
dryer--a daily carbon diet of
collectively infl uence economies
Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a "Kick
2.3 Kg of CO2.
to `Kick the CO2 Habit'," he said.
the CO2 Habit" campaign to encourage low-carbon
· Replacing
a
45-minute

Halving Your Carbon
lifestyle choices worldwide.
workout on a treadmill with
Footprint--Every Little Counts
The main celebrations of what is a global event
a jog in a nearby park. This
The UN Guide suggests there are
­ World Environment Day ­ took place on 5th June in
saves nearly 1 Kg of the main
many small `no regrets' choices
Wellington, New Zealand, one of fi ve countries that
greenhouse gas.
that together could reduce
have pledged to become "climate neutral", including
These are the fi ndings from
daily emissions by someone in
also Costa Rica, Iceland, Barcelona Convention
two reports launched on World
Australasia, Europe and North
Contracting Party Monaco, and Norway.
Environment Day by UNEP under the theme "Kick the
America--the major contributors to global warming
(2008 WED online is at: http://www.unep.org/
Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy".
historically--from say 38 Kg to 14 Kg.
wed/2008/english/)
One of the reports, a kind of Rough Guide to low
"The public have the power to change the future
In Athens, Greece, through the cooperation
carbon living, is entitled "Kick the Habit: The UN Guide -- have the power to personally and collectively
between the QualityNet Foundation and the
to Climate Neutrality".
infl uence economies to `Kick the CO2 Habit'," said
Alluminium Cans Recycling Centre and the support
The other, compiled by experts in collaboration
Achim Steiner, UNEP executive director.
of UNEP, an educational programme for primary
with UNEP and the UN World Tourism Organization
The knowledge and technology to dramatically
schools targeting the environment and recycling was
(UNWTO), is entitled "Climate Change Adaptation and
reduce carbon emissions already exist, mainly through
launched one year ago and the closing festival for the
Mitigation in the Tourism Sector".
improvements in energy effi ciency. What have been
event was launched in Maroussi on WED.
It focuses on the challenges and opportunities
lacking in most countries are incentives to make
Some quite simple measures can more than halve
facing the world's biggest industry including those
changes. Now the hard stick of high-energy prices
the daily emissions of an individual, with even bigger
linked with fl ying--both long and short haul.
has given the public new interest in reducing energy
cuts possible if sectors like power suppliers and
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General
costs, which also reduce carbon emissions.
automobile makers as well as aviation and appliance
and UNEP Executive Director, said: "Greenhouse

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INDEX
MAP COMPONENTS and BARCELONA CONVENTION
MAP
BARCELONA CONVENTION MINISTERIAL
HANDBOOK ON MARITIME SPATIAL
of the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), the sharing of
COMPONENTS
MEETING 2009 TO BE HOSTED BY
PLANNING
burdens between member states for non-ETS sectors,
and BARCELONA MOROCCO
The fi nal output of the PlanCoast
carbon capture and storage, and renewable energies.
During a visit to
project, i.e. the Handbook on Integrated
The French Presidency will continue to work on the
CONVENTION
Morocco, MAP
Maritime Spatial Planning, has been
basis of the progress report and texts prepared by the
Coordinator Paul
published and is currently being
Slovenian Presidency following an orientation debate
Mifsud met with
disseminated through the PAP/RAC
by the Environment and Energy Councils of 5 and 6
Barcelona Convention
Abdelkbir Zahoud,
network. The handbook summarises
June, when the most delicate points for negotiation
ministerial meeting
Minister for the
the experience of the PlanCoast project
were identifi ed.
2009 to be hosted by
Environment and
(INTERREG IIIB CADSES) gained through various
The other key line of work for the French Presidency
Morocco
Water, to discuss
activities, such as conferences, workshops, trainings
is sustainable production and consumption, for which
the terms of the host country agreement concerning
and, most of all, the 20 pilot projects covering areas of
France is planning to at least launch the debate that
PRTR projects
the 2009 Conference of Parties of the Barcelona
the Adriatic, Baltic and the Black Seas.
will then be carried over by the next presidencies by
developed in the
Convention.
The
fi rst section of this document addresses
Czech Republic and Sweden.
Mediterranean
During the meeting, a number of MAP initiatives
decision-makers at all levels explaining the needs
were discussed, in particular the entry into force of
for and benefi ts of Integrated Maritime Spatial
5TH CONFERENCE OF THE WATER
Handbook on Maritime the amendments to the LBS Protocol, the new ICZM
Planning (IMSP). The intention was to provide the
DIRECTORS
Spatial Planning
Protocl, CAMP Morocco, the cooperation with Horizon
project partners and relevant stakeholders with good
The Hellenic Ministry for
2020 and the GEF Strategic Partnership.
arguments to push the introduction of IMSP higher on
the Environment, Physical
ENVIRONMENTAL This year the main celebration of the Coast Day
the political agenda. The second part is intended as
Planning and Public Works
NEWS
2008 (launched by PAP/RAC in 2007) will be organized
a practical guide for planners and coastal managers.
in coordination with the
in Morocco, under the auspices of HRH Princess Lalla
It takes the reader through the different stages of the
European Commission
Energy and climate
Hasnaa, in her capacity as the appointed Ambassador
IMSP process, and highlights the elements necessary
and the French Presidency of the European Union
change at the heart
for the Coast.
for success. The overview of current European marine
organise the "5th Conference of the Water Directors of
of the EU French
policy developments and of other key stakeholders
the Euro-Mediterranean and Southeastern European
presidency.
PRTR PROJECTS DEVELOPED IN THE
concludes the publication. The Handbook is available
Countries" that will take place on 21 and 22 July 2008,
5th Conference of the MEDITERRANEAN
online for downloading, and can be ordered online.
in Athens, Greece.
A workshop to transfer knowledge
The main objective of the 5th Conference of
Water Directors
and know how on the implementation
the Water Directors will be the discussion and the
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
of the PRTR system (Pollutant Release
reaching of agreement on technical issues relating
and Transfer Register) outside the
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE AT THE
to the preparations of the special ad hoc Euro-
Mediterranean region was attended
HEART OF THE EU FRENCH PRESIDENCY
Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Water, to
by MEDPOL representative in Porto
take place in Jordan, on 29 October 2008.
Alegre, Brazil on 2--26 June.
France has placed the environment, and in particular
The Mediterranean experience is the result of the
the energy and climate change issue at the top of its
cooperation between MAP component MEDPOL and
priorities for the Presidency of the European Union.
Forthcoming Key Dates
UNIDO.

The objective is to reach an agreement by the
Following the workshop, it was agreed that
end of 2008, with a defi nitive vote at the European
Summit for the Union for the
UNIDO will prepare a handbook on the PRTR for
Parliament by December or January 2009 at the latest.
13 July
Mediterranean
Mediterranean countries, while MEDPOL will contact

According to French sources, this is a real
Paris, France
Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Turkey in order to launch
challenge but not an impossible one, given that the
the full scale projects at national level, following the
Slovenian Presidency "made a good job of clearing all
5th Conference of the Water Directors
of the Euro-Mediterranean and
successful implementation of the pilot projects in
the obstacles".
21-22 July
Southeastern European Countries"
these countries.
Among the proposals to be tackled is the revision
Athens, Greece

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