ThE 2deg wORLd CONFERENCE ON ThE REvITALIzATION OF MEdITERRANEA dIET
The Mediterranean has never been so populated and the availability of natural resources to feed its population has never been so uncertain (soil degradation, water scarcity, threatened biodiversity, climate change. Within a few years, the region's countries witnessed an evolution of their food diets towards a strong caloric increase of meals and a raise in sugars and products of animal origin, with as a consequence the emergence of sanitary and societal problems. Furthermore, it is to be deplored that today agricultural or fishing territories must abandon their activities because of a lack of available workforce or productive profitability whereas their capacities to provide people's food security, to reduce poverty or social exclusion and to meet the essential needs of urban areas are acknowledged. As new dynamics are being settled, concerning dialogue and cooperation in the region and commitments must be taken to give a chance to a positive Mediterranean of the future, the CIHEAM, worth of its long history and rich Mediterranean experience, argues in favor of a rural and agricultural development that is combined to a sustainable, responsible and inclusive food systems development. We have today the opportunity to support agri food systems that are good for people, good for the planet, good for our Mediterranean history and which are a guarantee for social cohesion. Production, Valorisation, Transformation, Distribution, Consomption, Waste management..At all stages of the agri food value chain, it is possible to tackle economic, social and environmental issues which are a burden on the Mediterranean region. This implies the obligation to guarantee the attractivity of rural territories (infrastructures, basic services. to invest massively in innovations, the modernization and improvement of the functioning of these sectors, to intensify the struggle against food waste and harvest loss, to diversify the economic activities which provide jobs and income, specifically for young people. Although in the Mediterranean, it is fundamental to produce more and better it is also essential to know better how to produce with Indeed, in order to achieve these objectives, it is essential to support the emergence of food governance that promotes participatory approaches, with the involvement of local stakeholders, of the private and public sectors, of womenwho keep suffering from discriminationand rural youth, the majority of whom plan their future elsewhere. Implementing the Sustainable development goals by advancing the integration of the Mediterranean region Nasser Kamel, Secretary General, Union for the Mediterranean Abstract We are all aware of the numerous challenges facing the countries of the Mediterranean region, going from traditional water scarcity to environmental degradation and heightened risks due to climate change as well rapid coastal urbanization, population growth and a region in which numerous conflicts still exist. The mandate of Union for the Mediterranean seeks precisely to address these challenges, by promoting regional cooperation to address the three strategic objectives of stability, human development and integration and to do so by putting the achievement of the global UN Sustainable Development Goals as its own regional goal. Its unique overview of all sectors of interest for its Member states and engagement with a wide network of stakeholders enables the UfM to implement its political mandate for sustainable and human development across the Euro Mediterranean area and promotes the creation of win win solutions. It is in this context that issues of environmental sustainability, the promotion of approaches towards development based on circular and green economy approaches, sustainable consumption and production and an integral view of the interlinked fields of agriculture, energy, water and food provide a template for action in which the UfM is also strongly invested. In this regard, the UfM supports a Positive Agenda for the Mediterranean through an environmentally responsible development, through the development of the blue economy, the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of research and innovation, promotion of investment to benefit the water sector in Mediterranean countries and common action for the climate agenda. The UfM is thus pursuing the mobilisation of the Mediterranean around an initiative to promote the preservation of its natural resources, to prevent pollution and to launch the region into a circular economy future. Framing our common cultural heritage of the Mediterranean diet as a flexible and efficient model for promoting inclusive regional development, and as a natural tool for implementing sustainable consumption and production in the region is also a way to look to the future of our region. For the UfM, partnering with the FAO and CIHEAM offers a unique opportunity to bring together the diverse but strongly convergent mandates to foster a long term, sustainable and inclusive development for the Mediterranean region. For this reason, the UfM will integrate conclusions of the Conference in its own work and looks forward to seeing them contribute as well to the upcoming high level political forum of the "Sommet des deux rives".We are all aware of the numerous challenges facing the countries of the Mediterranean region, going from traditional water scarcity to environmental degradation and heightened risks due to climate change as well rapid coastal urbanization, population growth and a region in which numerous conflicts still exist. The mandate of Union for the Mediterranean seeks precisely to address these challenges, by promoting regional cooperation to address the three strategic objectives of stability, human development and integration and to do so by putting the achievement of the global UN Sustainable Development Goals as its own regional goal. Its unique overview of all sectors of interest for its Member states and engagement with a wide network of stakeholders enables the UfM to implement its political mandate for sustainable and human development across the Euro Mediterranean area and promotes the creation of win win solutions. It is in this context that issues of environmental sustainability, the promotion of approaches towards development based on circular and green economy approaches, sustainable consumption and production and an integral view of the interlinked fields of agriculture, energy, water and food provide a template for action in which the UfM is also strongly invested. In this regard, the UfM supports a Positive Agenda for the Mediterranean through an environmentally responsible development, through the development of the blue economy, the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of research and innovation, promotion of investment to benefit the water sector in Mediterranean countries and common action for the climate agenda. The UfM is thus pursuing the mobilisation of the Mediterranean around an initiative to promote the preservation of its natural resources, to prevent pollution and to launch the region into a circular economy future. Framing our common cultural heritage of the Mediterranean diet as a flexible and efficient model for promoting inclusive regional development, and as a natural tool for implementing sustainable consumption and production in the region is also a way to look to the future of our region. For the UfM, partnering with the FAO and CIHEAM offers a unique opportunity to bring together the diverse but strongly convergent mandates to foster a long term, sustainable and inclusive development for the Mediterranean region. For this reason, the UfM will integrate conclusions of the Conference in its own work and looks forward to seeing them contribute as well to the upcoming high level political forum of the "Sommet des deux rives" BLuEMEd pilot, for a plastic free, healthy Mediterranean sea Fabio Fava, University of Bologna IT Representative in the GSO BLUEMED Working Group, on behalf of the whole GSO BLUEMED Working Group Abstract The BLUEMED initiative was launched by a group of experts nominated by EU Member states (EU MS) of the Mediterranean basin in 2014 to foster integration of knowledge and efforts of the Countries of the area to jointly create locally new 'blue' jobs and sustainable growth. The Initiative was then (2015) open to the participation of all non EU Countries of the same area. During the EU Maltese Presidency and on the occasion of the UfM Ministerial for Research and Innovation, the BLUEMED initiative was recognized as a UfM Initiative by all UfM countries and the European Commission thanks to the full support of Commissioners Moedas and Vella. Consequently, it evolved in a tailored Euro Mediterranean Senior Officials task force called BLUEMED GSO Working Group, which is currently joined by Ministerial Representatives of all EU MS of the Mediterranean area (all plus Portugal) along with the Ministerial Representatives from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey. Several R&I projects and a Coordination Support Action, all focusing on the sustainable blue growth, are currently ongoing in the area under the BLUEMED umbrella. The health of our Mediterranean Sea is the major priority for the BLUEMED initiative as it is crucial for our future, wellbeing and prosperity. Plastic pollution has increased dramatically in the last 50 years and it has become a major threat to the health of the Mediterranean Sea that must be tackled urgently. Indeed, it is one of the most affected water bodies in the world. 320 million inhabitants live along its coastal areas in addition to millions of tourists visiting the region every year. As a major shipping route linking Europe, Africa and Asia, approximately 25 30 of world maritime traffic passes through the Med. Moreover, several large rivers flow into the basin such as the Nile, Rhone and Po. As a consequence, an estimated 211,4