More than 20 representatives from Mediterranean countries and institutions came together in Málaga on the 28^th and 29^th of June. for a meeting to discuss the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP13) and define Medwet’s positioning and active role in the conference.

MedWet, a regional initiative established 27 years ago, brings together all Mediterranean countries that are Parties to the Ramsar Convention to stop and reverse wetland degradation in the basin. Furthermore, MedWet supports these countries in the socio-economic and ecological evaluation of the wetlands and provides the necessary technical tools to guarantee the effective management of these ecosystems.

During the meeting, participants discussed MedWet’s internal governance and financial structures as well as the new MedWet Work Plan for 2019-2021, due to be adopted in the COP13 that will take place in Dubai from 21 to 29 October 2018.

The adoption of a three-year roadmap for the organization is also expected. This roadmap will include recommendations to be discussed at the Ramsar Convention (COP13) which will contribute to a more effective preservation of Mediterranean wetlands and emphasize their value as nature-based solutions to climate change.

The meeting was organized thanks to the support of the Slovenian Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (President of the MedWet Initiative Steering Committee) and the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition, in collaboration with the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and the Ayuntamiento de Málaga (Málaga City Council). Within this framework, collaborations from the participating countries included a training course on sustainable tourism management in Mediterranean wetlands for managers of these ecosystems from 16 Mediterranean countries, organized by the Spanish Ministry.

For further information about Medwet, please check here.