UfM Endorses New Regional Projects to Support Member States in Transition to Climate-resilient Economies

Barcelona – The Senior Officials of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) have endorsed two new regional projects to contribute to the transition towards sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient development (Clima-Med) and on encouraging the development of skills, knowledge and research in the field of Blue Economy (Blue Skills).

The UfM will join forces for these projects with the European Union and Italian National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS in Italy, respectively, the UfM said in a press release.

The meeting of the Senior Officials of the 43 UfM Member countries in Brussels was also the occasion to discuss the preparations of the upcoming 4th UfM Ministerial Meeting on Employment and Labour, set to take place on 1-3 April in Cascais, Portugal.

With the aim to discuss the pressing challenges of unemployment, the Conference will encompass two side-events, on “the employment of university graduates” and a Ministerial Policy Conference on “job, skills and opportunities for all”.

Senior Officials also discussed the preparations for the UfM Business Forum in Cairo, Egypt on 18 June, which will be held in partnership with the German and Egyptian Ministers for economic cooperation and trade.

Aimed at implementing a pan-Mediterranean initiative for developing new curricula and increasing employability in the marine sciences and maritime sectors, the BlueSkills project is promoted by a Mediterranean consortium led by the Italian National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics.

Throughout its implementation, the core activities will promote the development of new skills, understanding and research in the field of Blue Economy that leads to “blue” careers and scientific research. By supporting the Euro-Mediterranean community of stakeholders of the Blue Economy through Higher Education and Research, the project strives as well for a better shared knowledge of the Mediterranean basin in marine and maritime sectors.

The project budget is valued as € 999,600 spanning across five years and ten countries with a broader impact to all the Mediterranean, the source added.

The objective of CLIMA-MED is to improve energy security and adaptive capacity of partner countries while fostering their transition to low carbon and climate-resilient economies, thereby contributing to more stable, efficient, competitive and climate-resilient socioeconomic environment.

The project objective is in-line and part of the programme “Energy security and Climate action in the Southern Neighbourhood 2017-2018”, which has been adopted by the European Commission in 2017.

The project budget is valued as € 6.9 Million spanning across 4 years and 8 countries.