Mediterranean

In the Mediterranean region alone, there are more than 4400 protected areas, of which 67% have been assigned an IUCN category. This publication analyses the use and interpretation of the different protected areas categories in the Mediterranean, gathers the ideas and proposals of agencies and other key stakeholders in the Mediterranean region, and includes the results of the IUCN International Summit in Almeria.

Aquaculture currently faces a significant challenge: how to fulfill the expectation of alleviating the pressure that fishing fleets exercise on fish populations without leading to environmental problems. It is particularly expected to develop widely in the near future in the Mediterranean's European, Southern and Eastern countries.

The flora of the Mediterranean islands includes many rare and localised species unique to the islands. Some of these are particularly threatened with extinction due to various pressures caused by people and their activities in Mediterranean ecosystems. It includes 50 descriptive sheets of species which are especially threatened, based on the IUCN Red List criteria.

The flora of the Mediterranean islands includes many rare and localised species unique to the islands. Some of these are particularly threatened with extinction due to various pressures caused by people and their activities in Mediterranean ecosystems. It includes 50 descriptive sheets of species which are especially threatened, based on the IUCN Red List criteria.

Protected Areas in the Mediterranean significantly contribute to sustaining the economy of the region. Covering around 300,000 Km2, they provide freshwater flows, resources for hydropower, recreation and tourism, fisheries, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services. Regional assessments have concluded that a major effort needs to be made to solve their state of chronic under-funding.

The Mediterranean-rim countries hold around 400 million people and 135 million of them live on the coast. A steady migration towards coastal areas, specifically in the south and east of the Mediterranean, is causing pressure on the coastal environment and, more importantly, on its biodiversity. In this second Mediterranean regional assessment, all the reptile and amphibian species existing within the region of study have been evaluated for their global conservation status.

Freshwater in the Mediterranean basin is of huge economic, environmental and livelihood importance. However, with a growing population and an increasing number of tourists, the freshwater resources are under great pressure. Since the threatened status of plants and animals is one of the most widely used indicators for assessing the condition of ecosystems and their biodiversity, an assessment was undertaken for freshwater fish in this region.