Marine Plastic pollution in the mediterranean sea – a legal and political challenge

CMS! CLOSING CONFERENCE
Debeli rtič, SLOVENIA

10.-12.09.2023, Hotel Depandansa Bor, Debeli rtič, SLOVENIA; Fotos: Hannes Tretter

THE CONFERENCE

The Closing Conference of the ‘Clean Mediterranean Sea!’ (CMS!) project took place from 10.-12. September 2023 in Debeli rtič, Slovenia.

The Conference brought together speakers from academia, politics, civil society and business to discuss in-depth the project findings and legal policy recommendations elaborated in the course of the CMS! study, as well as legal and factual issues in relation to the ‘ticking bomb’ of marine plastic pollution and possible ways forwards.

The Clean Mediterranean Sea! Project

In light of the increasing plastic pollution of the Mediterranean Sea – whose maritime ecosystem is already heavily impacted by the effects of the climate crisis – Clean Mediterranean Sea! (CMS!) has researched the current legal and political measures and initiatives taken by the EU, OSCE and UN as well as the coastal states of the Mediterranean that are designed to counteract this development.

With interdisciplinary support from the Austrian marine biology NGO MareMundi and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Austria, as well as contributions by legal scholars from various universities and other academic institutions in coastal states of the Mediterranean Sea, CMS! has conducted interdisciplinary analyses on the topic and elaborated legal policy proposals and recommendations based on the research findings. These will be forwarded to the EU, the OSCE, the UN and the coastal states of the Mediterranean in advance of the Conference.