eco-union co-organises COP24 side event on pathways to a thriving Mediterranean Blue Economy

December 4, 2025 | Malachite I+II Floor 2 |  The St. Regis Cairo, Cairo, Egypt | From 2 to 3 PM

During the 24th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP24) in Cairo, the Blue Tourism Initiative is co-organising the side event “Pathways to a Thriving Mediterranean Blue Economy: Resilience, Innovation, and Sustainability”. The session will take place on 4 December, from 14:00 to 15:00, at The St. Regis Cairo – Malachite I+II.

The event convenes policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss how the Mediterranean can reinforce its sustainable blue economy, at a time when the region is warming 20% faster than the global average and welcoming nearly 400 million tourists annually.

A central focus of the session is the launch of the MED Blue Tourism Flagship Initiative, under the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD), advancing sustainable coastal and marine tourism through nature-based solutions and community-led governance.

Objectives of the Side Event

In line with its mission, the session aims to:

  • Enable dialogue and knowledge exchange among Mediterranean and MENA stakeholders.

  • Support policymakers and practitioners advancing sustainable, resilient blue economy pathways.

  • Foster new partnerships that can lead to cross-sector and cross-country collaborations.

Panel Highlights: Governance, Innovation & Resilient Blue Economies

Moderated by Jérémie Fosse, President of eco-union and co-leader of the Blue Tourism Initiative, the panel showcases emerging practices shaping the Mediterranean blue economy landscape :

  • Morocco’s pathway to sustainable coastal resource management

  • The World Bank’s efforts to accelerate blue jobs and inclusive growth

  • Advances in ocean governance and blue tourism (IDDRI)

  • Nature-based solutions demonstrated in Tunisia and Morocco (IUCN-Med)

  • Blue biotechnology breakthroughs (2B-BLUE & ThinkInAzul)

  • Circular aquaculture innovations from the AZA4ICE project

Together, these contributions highlight how science, governance, and community engagement can drive a resilient and future-ready Mediterranean.

A collaborative Mediterranean effort

The event is co-organised by eco-union, IDDRI, IUCN-Med, the World Bank, MIO-ECSDE, the University of Patras, and the University of Murcia, demonstrating a strong regional cooperation effort to strengthen sustainable development and ocean governance in the Mediterranean.

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