The Mediterranean region is one of the epicenters of climate change: it is warming 20% faster than the rest of the world and is already suffering the consequences of extreme events such as heat waves, widespread forest fires, biodiversity loss, and torrential rains. The latter remain vivid in the collective memory of Catalonia and Spain. In this context, the Natural Heritage Mission of the Interreg Euro-MED program brings together a consortium of 16 Mediterranean entities working to share knowledge, develop tools, and disseminate the results of 18 projects funded by the program to various key stakeholders in the Mediterranean region, such as public administrations, research institutes, NGOs, businesses, and other important Mediterranean actors like the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion. The goal is to jointly address urgent environmental challenges such as these.
Three of these initiatives specifically aim to protect the cities and territories most vulnerable to flooding. Some of the results will be presented from November 25 to 27 in Barcelona, ahead of World Mediterranean Day on November 28, at an in-person event organized by CREAF, the knowledge transfer partner, in collaboration with MedCities. More than 130 political, technical, and scientific figures will participate.
One of the projects, LocAll4Flood, coordinated by the Beta Technology Centre, with the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion as a partner, brings together government agencies, research centers, universities, and businesses to improve flood risk management. The plan includes specific actions such as an early warning system tailored to each region to better protect the population; a methodology to improve decision-making among different local stakeholders; and a catalog of nature-based solutions, such as reforestation, urban parks, and permeable paving. These measures are being implemented in nine pilot basins, including Vic and Gurb in Catalonia, and Torrents Gros and Na Bàrbara in Mallorca. They have also developed an educational kit for people living in flood-prone areas.
In parallel, the Wetland4Change project, coordinated by the Bulgarian Forestry University, aims to halt the degradation of Mediterranean wetlands. Its dual objective is to reduce the impact of heavy rainfall on adjacent watercourses, particularly by regulating peak flows and surface runoff, and to increase the wetlands’ capacity to sequester carbon. The project is implementing concrete actions in five pilot areas, including the Albufera de Valencia, which was severely affected by Storm Dana a year ago. This event highlighted the fragility of the ecosystem and the urgent need to restore wetlands. Furthermore, the project has enabled the creation of a database on Mediterranean wetlands and the development of a knowledge transfer plan to help administrations and protected area managers integrate these solutions into their policies.
As for the MedSeaRise project, coordinated by Anatoliki, it assesses the risks associated with sea-level rise in the Mediterranean basin, particularly flooding. To this end, it relies on advanced climate projections and includes case studies in six coastal areas, including the Llobregat Delta.
Beyond the visibility given to project results, a cross-cutting pillar of this Interreg Euro-MED initiative is the promotion of strengthened collaboration throughout the Mediterranean region. “We are creating opportunities for dialogue and knowledge transfer among the more than 250 organizations in the Interreg community and beyond,” explains Annelies Broekman, a researcher at CREAF and coordinator of the knowledge transfer and dissemination strategy. Our Secretary General, Xavier Bernard Sans, will participate in the discussion on the implications and opportunities of multi-level governance and will present the Euroregion’s perspective. He will also discuss the LocAll4Flood project.
Some results from the projects of the Interreg Euro-MED Mission Natural Heritage program will be presented from November 25 to 27 at an event bringing together various stakeholders, including policymakers, experts, and representatives of Mediterranean entities. This meeting, co-organized by CREAF and MedCities with the support of several international institutions and the participation of the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, takes place within a context of renewed Mediterranean policies, marked by the new Pact for the Mediterranean, the revision of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development, and the recent European law on nature restoration, all priorities for the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion.
The event will explore the opportunities offered by these frameworks to address the main socio-environmental challenges facing the Mediterranean, such as nature restoration and adaptation to the growing impacts of climate change. It will also showcase Interreg Euro-MED projects that are already implementing innovative solutions in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. “We hope that this event will strengthen cooperation between key Mediterranean stakeholders, both political and scientific, at a time when action is more urgent than ever.” “We also want to highlight the role of local authorities as key players and guarantors of a concrete response to all global and regional challenges,” concludes Carolina Pérez, Head of Policy and Knowledge Transfer at MedCities.
The rural and fisheries Local Action Groups of the Euroregion come together to promote three days of joint work to face common challenges The Euroregional network for rural and fisheries [...]
