MED Info 6 (JULY / AUGUST 1999)
|
|
MED Info 6 (JULY / AUGUST 1999) |
SOMMAIRE / TABLE OF CONTENT / ÍNDICE:
Málaga (Espagne) 18, 19 et 20 novembre 1999
Brest (Bretagne), France, May 19th - 22nd 1999
By Nadja Mifka-Profozic. Eko-Rijeka (Croatia).
8th Annual Conference of the Association of Women of the Mediterranean Region (A.W.M.R.)
Athens (Greece), May 26th -30th 1999.
By Nadja Mifka-Profozic. Eko-Rijeka (Croatia)
Wesminster Central Hall, London, Angleterre
Date:15 au 18 juin 1999
By: M. Thierry Torres. CLAPE-LR.
Midreshet Sde Boker, Negev (Israel), July 8th -10th 1999
By: Nadja Mifka-Profozic. Eko Rijeka (Croatia).
Midreshet Sde Boker, Negev (Israel), July 8th -10th 1999
Convocations
Convocation de la réunion annuelle du Conseil méditerranéen de MED Forum pour les 20 et 21 novembre 1999 qui se déroula en Málaga (Espagne).
Ordre du jour provisoire :
Participation : Tous les membres du Conseil méditerranéen de MED Forum ayant droit à la parole et de vote. Les membres de MED Forum et les invités peuvent participer en tant qu’observateurs.
La réunion du Conseil méditerranéen de MED Forum se déroulera les jours postérieurs à la " Conférence international sur les espaces protégés, la conservation de la biodiversité et le dévelopement durable en Méditerranée. Lignes stratégiques et bonnes pratiques " annoncées ci-dessous.
Málaga (Espagne) 18, 19 et 20 novembre 1999
Conférence méditerranéenne sur le rôle des espaces protégés dans le développement durable des communautés locales et régionales du bassin méditerranéen. L'on y présentera les différentes lignes de travail, les politiques et les stratégies de la conservation de la biodiversité dans les espaces protégés et du développement durable des communautés affectées, par les organismes internationaux (Convention de Barcelone, Union européenne, Conseil de Europe, UNESCO) et les entités internationales (UICN, National Trust, Conservatoire du Littoral, Fédération européenne des Parcs).
L'on présentera et diffusera des exemples de bonnes pratiques de conservation de la biodiversidad dans les espaces protégés et le développement durable des communautés locales dans le bassin méditerranéen. L'on présentera des projets concrets réalisés ou à réaliser par des ONG, des entreprises environnementalistes, artisanales, tourisme durable, etc.
Les ONG et toute entreprise ou entité souhaitant y participer devra solliciter des renseignements à :
MED Forum : Helena ULLASTRES. E.mail : MEDForum@pangea.org ; Fax +34 93 412 46 22
Tél. + 34 93 412 55 99.
See the following message which has received at the MED Forum Secretariat.I have the pleasure to announce you the International Summer School to be organised by Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21 (The Secretariat of Youth for Habitat International Network) from 15-25 September 1999 in the beautiful Agean coastal town of Cesme-Turkey. This Summer School is a provision of the Plan of Action of the Seventeenth Session of the Commission on Human Settlements Parallel Youth Programme, which was held in Nairobi in May 1999. The main themes of the Summer School are human settlements, human rights, environment and capacitybuilding.This message contains detailed information about the Summer School, with the application form attached.ParticipantsThe number of participants of the Summer School is 100 and regional distribution is 10 from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America respectively. Gender equality will be a priority. The participants should be representing a non-governmental organization, a youth initiative, a political party or a university club and they should have basic knowledge about the main topics of the Summer School. The participants are required to be fluent in English to be able to follow the discussions.ObjectivesSharing of experiences;Providing of leadership building and transferability of knowledge;A better understanding of the cited topics supplemented by the presence of the experts in the relevant fields;Enhancement of intercultural learning;Dissemination of outcomes of each event as booklets thereby providing access to information for the organisations whom have not attended to the Summer School.ContentThe International Summer Training course will be consisting of workshops, seminars, and presentation of best practices by the participating organisations. There will be two sessions every day, in the morning and in the afternoon. The provisional sub topics are in the application form.
You may also organise a workshop on one of the related topics of the four main issues, apart from the workshops that will be carried out by the formal lecturers. Moreover, you may also present your best practices provided that you inform the organisation committee in advance. There will also be an exhibition during the whole event where you may display all your documentations and the like. Please inform us if you would like to take part in it for us to organise the venue.
The participants are asked to indicate their areas of interest in one of the main topics of the Summer School. However, you will be asked to fill in another application form as a confirmation where you will choose the specific workshops for each day, for us to facilitate the organisation
of work. On the contrary, it is recommended that you follow one topic to keep the pace. The related issue is indicated in the application form.
Since this Summer School aims to promote inter cultural learning, there will be parties which will be organised by the willing countries. Therefore, you are asked to inform the organisations committee if you have an intention to organise one where you are asked to bring with you your national costumes, food, drinks, handicrafts, etc.
Please note that Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21 (The Secretariat of Youth for Habitat International Network) does not have any financial resources to cover the travel expenses of the participants.
Finally, a participation fee of $30 is required for boarding and local transport. The deadline for application is July 31,1999.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further questions.
Zeynep AydemirProgramme managerYouth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21The Secretariat of Youth for Habitat International Network(Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21)
Address: Buyukdere Cad. Sisli Belediyesi Binasi Kat 1280280 Esentepe- Istanbul/TURKEYTel: +90 212 272 12 12 / 212 90 24 (voice)Tel/Fax: +90 212 272 45 96E-mail: youthforhab@turk.net, info@youthforhab.org.trWeb-site: http://www.youthforhab.org.tr
Listserver: yfhin-l@itu.edu.tr
Subscribe to listserver: Write "subscribe yfhin-l" in the text box,
leave the subject empty and send the message to listproc@itu.edu.tr
YOUTH ASSOCIATION FOR HABITAT AND AGENDA 21
(THE SECRETARIAT OF YOUTH FOR HABITAT INTERNATIONAL NETWORK)
INTERNATIONAL SUMMER TRAINING SCHOOL ’99
15-25 SEPTEMBER 1999
ÇESME-TURKEY
APPLICATION FORM
Please type or write legibly, applications via fax are also accepted
Name of organization:
Name of Participant:
Position in organization:
Passport no:
Expiry date:
Organization address:
Telephone(s):
Fax(es):
E-mail:
Organizational web-site:
Brief introduction of the organization:
Please tick the box of the topic you are interested in (may as well be one topic for each participant) :
Please tick the box of the sub-topic on which you would like to organize an event (workshop, lecture, open space activity):
Human rights
- Students’ rights in universities
Human settlements
Capacity Building
- Youth participation in decision making
- Lobby and advocacy on youth issues
- Entrepreneurship
Environment
Do you want to make a presentation of your organization?
Do you want to make a presentation of best practices? Please identify:
Do you want to take part in the exhibition?
Languages spoken:
Blood Group:
Do you have any kind of allergies?
Do you have a chronic disease?
Do you need any other health and/or nutrition requirements? Please specify
Do you have any published works? (please specify)
Please attach your curriculum vitae to the application form.
Please send to:
Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21
(The Secretariat of Youth for Habitat International Network)
Address: Buyukdere Caddesi, Sisli Belediyesi Binasi
No:123-124, 80280, Esentepe
Istanbul-TURKEY
Tel: +90 212 272 12 12
+90 212 212 90 24
Fax: +90 212 272 45 96
E-mail: youthforhab@turk.net
Web-site: www.youthforhab.org.tr
Please note that the deadline for application is 31 July 1999.
Brest (Bretagne), France, May 19th - 22nd 1999
By Nadja Mifka-Profozic. Eko-Rijeka (Croatia)
OBJECTIVE:
To discuss, by gathering together people from the media and players in sustainable development, how the journalists treat challenges to society related to the environment, if the media are interested in sustainable development,... what are the obstacles and in what ways they can be over-come. To exchange experiences and proposals for a new look at current events.
PARTICIPANTS:
Representatives from European media, experts and leaders in sustainable development like Government organisations' representatives, NGO and different institutions' representatives (e.g. OECD, World Business Council, Worldwatch Institute, Universities, etc) - altogether about 100 participants
SHORT SUMMARY OF THE MEETING:
Representatives from the media and different players in sustainable development gathered together to discuss the current problems of treating environment and sustainable development in the media. Since the role of journalists is seen as being very important in presenting the issues to the public, the organisers found it important to see what are the obstacles for better presentation of the sustainable development issues in the media. First those who work on sustainable development presented what the global problems in the environmental field are, and then the media representatives described their problems concerning environment and sustainable development reporting. There were plenary sessions to discuss the things from more theoretical point of view, then workshops to exchange the experience; there was also a public debate on the problem of sustainable development related to the new European citizenship, and the last day participants went to the field trip - to get know the way of water management in the part of Bretagne around the town of Brest.
During the meeting many interesting, even crucial questions concerning information were raised up: such as how to handle information, how are environmental issues transmitted in the media, what should be an alternative (as opposed to traditional) model of environmental communication, what criteria for the quality of information, etc.?
AGREEMENTS AND THINGS TO BE DONE:
This was the first "European meeting" in Brest and according to the last day evaluation, the work was well done and very useful. So, there is great probability that this sort of meetings will be continued in the following years. The aim is to involve more journalists to promote the very important issue of sustainable development to the broader public, as well as to encourage young jounalists through competitions and awards.
The idea of networking among environmental jounalists and of starting a magazine on sustainable development was set up.
8th Annual Conference of the Association of Women of the Mediterranean Region (A.W.M.R.)
Athens (Greece), May 26th -30th 1999.
By Nadja Mifka-Profozic. Eko-Rijeka (Croatia)
OBJECTIVE:
To examine today's reality regarding environmental preservation and environmental threats in the Mediterranean region. To formulate and initiate common action concerning women's standpoint and women's perspective in order "to achieve the Mediterranean region free of pollution, to halt wanton environmental destruction, to saguard our sea, air, soil and water and press for measures toward sustainable urban development".
PARTICIPANTS:
A.W.M.R. country representatives from 16 Mediterranean countries, experts on different environmental issues and representatives from different governmental and non-governmental organisations dealing with the environment
SHORT SUMMARY:
The Conference started with country reports on degradation of water, land, air, sea and urban environment, with special emphasis on the political situation in each Mediterranean country. The theme of this year's A.W.M.R. Annual Conference was chosen because of the importance of environmental issues in women's lives. As it was pointed out, one of the major problems facing us all today is environmental degradation. Degradation of natural resources is worse where the disadvantaged are concentrated, but in the long-term, no-one, rich or poor, escapes the negative effects of environmental destruction. During the Conference much stress was put on the war in Kosovo, with special regard to NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and its environmental impacts.
In the name of environmental justice many women of the Mediterranean are learning about sources of contamination and organizing against the perpetrators. Many mothers are aware that the health of their children depends on healthy environment. Safe water, fresh air, fertile land and clean seas are preconditions for health and development in the Mediterranean. Stressing the effects of the environmental degradation on the people, particularly women and children, the report of the Women Environmental Development Organisation (WEDO) was interesting, as well as some presentations dealing with the women's role in raising public awareness on environmental problems and women's role on sustainable use of natural resources.
An important intervention was done by Vanya Walker-Leigh, concerning the topic "Women and environment: two deficits in the Euromediterranean partnership" (which was launched under the Barcelona Declaration).
In relation to regional cooperation, its effectiveness and women's role in it, the work of MED Forum, the Network of Mediterranean Environmental NGOs was presented, and especially its Programme for sustainable development, the "MED Forum 2000 Agenda". The framework for carrying out the Programme of Mediterranean NGOs, priority actions and activities to be carried out by NGOs, were fully described, as well as those ones that are in progress now. Particular stress was put on the actual projects, for example, the campaign "Ratify the Barcelona Convention!", "Green Traffic Light", and others.
AGREEMENTS & THINGS TO BE DONE:
In regard to the MEDForum A.W.M.R. decided to foster better cooperation and to help by their part in the campaign "Ratify the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols!"
A book will be published including the papers and contributions to the Conference.
A political resolution concerning NATO bombing was brought up as a result of the Conference, supported and signed by the members of the Association of Women of the Mediterranean Region.
Wesminster Central Hall, London, Angleterre
15 au 18 juin 1999
By: M. Thierry Torres. CLAPE-LR.
PARTICIPANTS :
500 personnes invitées ; 100 d’entre elles ont été financées
Organisateurs : UNED UK
Organisations invitées (petite selection): MED Forum, CLAPE LR, Health for All Network, ASH (Action on Smoking and Health), The Pesticides Trust, WWF, Medecins Sans Frontières, European Environment Agency, Friends of the Earth, ANPED, Water UK, Climate Network Europe, Don’t Choke Britain …….
SHORT SUMMARY OF THE MEETING:
Du 15 au 18 juin 1999, UNED UK a organisé le Healthy Planet Forum, regroupant les différentes ONG et groupes de la société civile concernés par les questions d’Envrionnement et santé. Au même moment se tenait la 3ème Conférence Ministérielle Européenne sur la même thématique.
L’objectif aura été de débattre sur les questions environnementales discutées, et ignorées, durant la conférence ministérielle et d’adopter une déclaration finale des ONG, et permettre aux représentants d’ONG, d’associations locales, de services publics de débattre sur les questions environnementales discutées durant la 3ème Conférence Ministérielle Environnement et Santé qui se déroule à côté du Forum.
Revenir sur les questions cruciales et d’actualité qui semblaient avoir été négligées, voire ignorées, par les ministres, et ainsi proposer une déclaration finale des ONG réunies au Healthy Planet Forum.
Renforcer la coopération entre ONG des pays de l’Est et des pays de l’Ouest de l’Europe.
Possibilité pour les représentants d’ONG d’assister à la conférence ministérielle.
Les différents thèmes abordés ont concerné : l’eau et la santé, le transport , le changement climatique, les aliments, l‘environnement et la santé des enfant et des femmes, et enfin la pauvreté.
Les engagements pris ont insisté sur l’importance d’une collaboration entre les différents acteurs (ONG, états, entreprises), le besoin d’un lobbying des questions révélées auprès des gouvernements, et enfin la nécessité pour les grandes ONG d’aider les petites structures.
AGREEMENT AND THINGS TO BE DONE:
Adoption, après 4 jours de conférence, de la Déclaration finale des ONG du Healthy Planet Forum. Par rapport au projet de déclaration initial, les points suivants ont été rajoutés :
Parallèlement, l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS) a organisé du 16 au 18 juin 1999 sa 3ème Conférence Ministérielle européenne sur l’Environnement et la Santé à Londres. Les principaux thèmes discutés ont été le transport et l’environnement, le changement climatique, et l’eau. Au même moment les associations, les membres du secteur public, les organisations de santé et autres ONG se sont rencontrées au ‘Healthy Planet Forum’ afin d’essayer d’influencer la conférence ministérielle, d’élaborer leur propre stratégie future et d’apprendre les uns des autres.
Les différents thèmes « Environnement et Santé », abordés au cours des conférences, ont concerné :
·
L’environnement et la santé en EuropeL’eau et la santé : la mise en place d’un agenda sur l’eau douce pour le 21ème siècle, le rôle des ONG dans la mise en œuvre du Protocole sur l’Eau qui aura été signé par les ministres.
Transport, environnement et santé : conférence majeure sur le transport, qui a reconsidéré la Charte sur le Transport et la Santé ratifiée par les ministres.
Changement climatique, avec un atelier de travail sur le sujet en présence des différents auteurs du rapport de l’OMS concernant les effets prématurés sur la santé humaine dus au changement climatique.
Aliments, santé et environnement, thème abordé tout le long d’un séminaire d’une journée sur les aliments (The Food Summit – Le sommet sur les aliments) et au cours d’une conférence sur la question alimentaire en Europe et sur les OGM.
Autres sujets négligés ou ignorés par la conférence ministérielle, principalement axés sur les substances chimiques toxiques, pesticides et autres polluants. On pourra noter des conférences sur : les pesticides à la maison, et sur la pollution et désertification dans la mer d’Aral .
·
Planification pour une meilleure santé et un meilleur environnementMise en œuvre des NEHAP, (National Environment and Health Action Plans - Plans d’Action Nationaux pour l’Environnement et la Santé).
Mise en application des NEHAP à travers des LEHAP (Local Environmental and Health Action Plans - Plans d’Action Locaux pour l’Environnement et la Santé), et les initiatives de type Agenda Local 21.
Participation du public, avec des réunions concernant : le lieu de travail soutenable, les outils pour le renforcement du pouvoir des citoyens.
·
Questions parallèles mais essentiellesPrincipe de précaution.
L’environnement et la santé des enfants, avec de nombreuses conférences sur ce sujet : abus de substances volatiles par les enfants des rues, vulnérabilité des enfants aux risques de santé et environnementaux, droit des enfants à un environnement sain.
Santé des femmes et environnement, avec un séminaire sur les effets spécifiques que peut provoquer la pollution de l’environnement sur les femmes.
Pauvreté, environnement et santé, étude des liens directs entre pauvreté, mauvaise qualité de l’environnement et la santé.
Après 4 jours de conférence, la Déclaration finale des ONG du Healthy Planet Forum a été adoptée. Les points suivants ont été rajoutés : adoption du principe de précaution concernant les OGM, prise en compte des substances chimiques toxiques, nécessité de considérer les graves effets sur l’environnement et la santé suite à la guerre dans les Balkans et prise en considération des liens entre la pauvreté, l’environnement et la santé.
Les différents ateliers de travail, mais également les échanges informels entre représentants d’ONG, ont permis d’établir les bases d’un partenariat
MED Forum, représenté par Thierry Torres du CLAPE-LR (Montpellier, France) était une des rares, ONG représentant les pays méditerranéens. En effet le Forum a souffert d’une inégale représentation des pays européens, avec une présence majoritaire des pays d’Europe de l’Est.
Enfin, la déclaration des ONG du Healthy Planet Forum n’a pas, comme on pouvait l’imaginer, été adoptée en tant que telle par les ministres lors de leur conférence. Une telle déclaration venant de ‘l’extérieur’, n’est pas acceptable pour les ministres et ne peut être ratifiée. Cependant, la pression qu’elle a exercée durant la conférence n’aura pas été vaine.
Midreshet Sde Boker, Negev (Israel), July 8th -10th 1999
By: Nadja Mifka-Profozic. Eko Rijeka (Croatia).
As one of the most severe and growing problems in the Mediterranean region land degradation and desertification have been pointed out as a priority issue in the programme of MED Forum, the Network of Mediterranean NGOs for Ecology and Susatainable Development. Mediterranean climate characterised by hot and dry summers and mild winters with irregular and unpredictable rainfall, influenced by the presence of great deserts both in the South and East, as well as by human activities (plowing, urbanism, infrastructures, intensive agriculture, etc) and by natural disasters (drought, torrential rains, forest fires, strong winds, etc) have led to the loss of fertile land and to a considerable increase in the erosion and aridity of big areas in all the Mediterranean basin.
According to the aims put forward in the MED Forum 2000 Agenda concerning the issue of combating desertification, Med Forum Network organised a Workshop on good practices to combat desertification , which took place in Midreshet Sde Boker in the Israeli Negev Desert, from 8th to 11th of July 1999. The Workshop was organized with the support of the European Union, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (S.P.N.I.), the Negev Center for Regional Development, the Blaustein Institute for Desert Research - Ben Gurion University, Negev Bar Kayama, Midreshet Sde - Boker and with the collaboration of the Regional Council of Ramat Hanegev and the Negev Development Authority.
The aims of the Workshop were to foster the exchange of practical experiences of on-the-spot intervention, to stimulate the NGOs with concrete and successful projects in the field of combating desertification and erosion, to discuss the presented projects and, at the same time, to gather new proposals for future projects in the same field.During the three days of the Workshop the following projects were presented:
-"Life for Algerian Oasis" - cooperation project by Touiza (Algeria ) and EcoMediterrania (Spain)
-"Savanisation Project" - by Desert Research Institute (Israel)
-"Pilot Project of the Participation of Village Population in Combatting Desertification in the Zones of Ghabet, Khazaia and Zaafrana" - by APNEK (Tunisia)
-"Good Practices to Control Soil Erosion and Promote Community Development in Rural Tunisia: NGO advocacy and implementation" - by Women for Sustainable Development (Tunisia)
-"Pilot Project of Management in the Basin of M' Soun: Participation Approach in the Management and Planning" - by ENDA Maghreb (Morocco)
-"Contribution to the Management of the Nature Reserve in Touati & Maitrise concerning Domestic Energy" - by APNEK (Tunisia)
-"Climate Condition and Estimation of the Erosion on the Albanian Coast & Estimation and Cartography of Soil Erosion Processes in the Coastal Zone of Albania" - by PPNEA (Albania)
-"Protection of the Littorals of Kune-Vain Lagoons by Using the Eco-techniques to Control Coastal Erosion" - by Alpine Geographic Club Tomori (Albania)
-"Sustainable Development of Amber Islands" - by Eko Liburnia (Croatia)
-"Programme of the Support to Local Participation Initiatives in the Management of Nature Resources and in Combatting Desertification and Disforestation" - by ENDA Maghreb (Morocco)
-"Preservation and Protection of Landscape Against Desertification" - by Ecological Movement of Cyprus (Cyprus)
All the projects of good practices were presented and discussed with the aim to be shared later by other Mediterranean NGOs and communities who have the same or similar problems with desertification and land degradation. In that respect a Guide Book of Good Practices will be published by Med Forum as a follow-up of this Workshop, in order to help combat desertification in the Mediterranean region.
Finally, after three days of discussion the NGOs present at the Workshop adopted a Declaration to Combat Desertification in the Mediterranean, proposing rafitication of the points contained in the Med Forum 2000 Agenda for Combatting Desertification.
The Workshop in the Negev Desert gave also an opportunity to the participants to see at the spot how the Israeli NGOs deal with the problem of desertification. At the same time and according to the Med Forum working method, it was an opportunity to meet the local, Israeli and Palestinian NGOs, and to present them the objectives and the work programme of the Med Forum, the Network of the Mediterranean NGOs for Ecology and Sustainable Development.
Sde Boker - Negev Desert - Middle East - July 8-10, 1999
During the sessions of the "Good Practices Workshop for Combating Desertification: Proposals and Exchanges among the Mediterranean NGOs", the NGOs pertaining to MED Forum, the Mediterranean NGO Network for Ecology and Sustainable Development, assembled to debate concrete proposals and present projects and fieldwork carried out to combat desertification in the Mediterranean basin. After three days of debate, they have approved the following
DECLARATION
Faced with the grave situation of land degradation that is ocurring in all the Mediterranean basin, the Mediterranean NGOs and experts, assembled in the "Good Practices Workshop for Combating Desertification: Proposals and Exchanges among the Mediterranean NGOs" organized by MED Forum, the Mediterranean NGO Network for Ecology and Sustainable Development,
Propose the ratification of the following points that enlarge those contained in the MED Forum 2000 Agenda
a) The organization of campaigns to raise the awareness of the general population, and their participation in educational activities and those seeking to raise public awareness.
b) Updating and exchanging educational and public information material in the local languages.
c) Assessing the needs of schools and preparing appropriate programmes for them.
d) Publicizing the measures that help save natural resources by means of integrated and sustainable management of these resources, including agricultural and pastoral land, the plant cover, water resources, biological diversity, the promotion of alternative energy sources, especially, solar power, wind power and geothermal energy, and favour the transfer, acquisition and adaptation of technologies suitable for reducing pressure on fragile natural resources.
During the three days that the Workshop has lasted, the following projects have been presented:
- Life for Algerian Oases. Touiza (Algeria) and EcoMediterrània (Spain).
- Savanizattion Project. Desert Research Institute (Israel).
- Projet pilot de participation de lapopulation villageoise à la lutte contre la Desertification des zones Ghabet, Khazaia et Zaafrana. APNEK (Tunisia).
- Pilot Project to Combat Desertification in Baixo Alentejo. Geota (Portugal).
- Good Practises to control soil erosion and promote community development in rural Tunisia: NGO advocacy and implementation. Women for Sustainable Development (Tunisia).
- Projet pilot d’amenagement du bassin versant du M’Soun: approche participative de gestion et de planification. ENDA Magghreb (Morocco).
- Contribution a l’amenagement de la reserve naturelle de Touati & Maîtrise de l’energie domestique. APNEK (Tunisia).
- Climate condition and estimation of the erosion on the Albanian coast & Estimation and cartography of soil erosion processes in coastal zone of Albania. PPNEA (Albania).
- Protection of the litorals of Kune-Vain Lagoons by using of the eco-technices to control coastal erosion. Alpine Geographic Club Tomori (Albania).
- Sustainable Development of Amber Islands. Eko Liburnia (Croatia).
- Programme d’appui aux initiatives participatives locales de gestions des ressources naturelles et de lutte contre la desertification et le deboisement. ENDA Maghreb (Morocco).
- Preservation and protection of landscape against desrtification. Ecological Movement of Cyprus (Cyprus).
All the participants agree with this Declaration and in addition we commit ourselves to implement the following outcomes from the workshop:
- To spread the contents of this Declaration.
- To collaborate with MED Forum in the elaboration of a Guidebook of Mediterranean NGOs projects against desertification and soil erosion. After the presentation of diverse fieldwork experiences carried out in the Mediterranean basin, we propose that these be compiled into a guidebook which will help to broadcast and disseminate the good practices in combating desertification that have been put into effect by NGOs.
- To look for the potential reproduction of our local projects by keeping a regional (Mediterranean) scope in our daily work.
- To profit from the contacts done during this workshop in order to prepare regional projects and to look for funding so as to implement, within a MED Forum partnership system, new projects based on these experiences.
Desertification, as shown in the Convention to Combat Desertification and in Chapter 12 of Agenda 21, is one of the world's most serious environmental problems, threatening the Earth's fertility and the food security of its population. Desertification is spreading due to climatic causes and human activities, both those performed in a single area and those performed all over the world (climate change). Some measures can only be taken at a general level, but others have to be taken at the regional, national or local level. Combating desertification and the tasks to mitigate the effect of droughts require an integrated treatment of the physical, biological and socio-economic aspects. Desertification is an increasingly severe problem in the Mediterranean regions that has to be fought with concrete and feasible recommendations, adapted to the environmental, economic, social, cultural, scientific, technological and political characteristics and situations of each country.
Midresheat Sde Boker (Israel) - Middle East, July 10, 1999
