SPA RAC

🌊 SPAMI Day 2026 is almost here!

On 29–30 June, Trieste, Italy, will host the 5th edition of SPAMI Day, bringing together SPAMI managers and representatives, experts and partners from across the Mediterranean to exchange experiences and discuss marine conservation, ecosystem restoration and the role of SPAMIs.

📺Follow Day 1 live on the SPA/RAC YouTube channel!

🔗Programme: https://spami.medchm.net/en/2026-spami-day-programme

▶️Livestream: https://youtube.com/c/SPARACinfos

Stay tuned for highlights throughout the event!

🌊 How are Marine Protected Areas progressing across the Mediterranean?
Join SPA RAC and MedPAN-network on 3 July 2026 for a webinar presenting the latest edition of the Status of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean.

The webinar will also officially announce the 4th Mediterranean MPA Forum, taking place in Alexandria, Egypt, from 15 to 18 December 2026, and launch the related consultation process.

📅 3 July 2026 | 10:00–12:00 CET (UTC +2)
🎙️ English & French (simultaneous interpretation)
🔗 Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/yrUZQqM6SNiPrAhA_8nB9w

Supported by the European Union and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

🐢 On this World Sea Turtle Day, we are reminded that marine turtles still need our collective commitment to ensure their conservation across the Mediterranean.
On this occasion, we also highlight the upcoming 8th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles, a key regional event to strengthen networking and collaboration in marine turtle research and conservation across the Mediterranean.

📅 𝟑𝟎 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬.

🌐 Learn more: https://medturtleconf.gr

🤝 Organized by ΑΡΧΕΛΩΝ-Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, the conference will take place in Marathon, Attica, Greece, with the technical and financial support of the UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC and the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group.

Achieving the 30x30 target is not only about expanding protection — it is also about restoring ecosystems and building a resilient future for people and nature. 🌍🌊

📅 Save the date: 15 June 2026

UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention will join the 16th edition of Mediterraneo da Remare and contribute to the dialogue on protecting and restoring Mediterranean coasts, seas and islands.



Fondazione UniVerde

🌍 This World Environment Day, we highlight the role of Nature-based Solutions in building climate resilience across the Mediterranean.

Investing in nature is one of the smartest climate investments we can make. 🌿

📣🌊Call for Experts – Marine Food Webs in the Mediterranean

The United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), within the framework of the EU-funded SEMPA Project, is seeking an international expert to support the development of Guidance Factsheets for IMAP Common Indicators related to Ecological Objective 4 (Marine Food Webs).

🔹The selected expert will contribute to the development of eight Guidance Factsheets, regional definitions of Good Environmental Status (GES), and associated targets for marine food web indicators, while supporting the work of the Online Working Group on Marine Food Webs and relevant UNEP/MAP governance processes.

🗓 Application deadline: 16 June 2026

We encourage qualified experts in marine ecology, biodiversity assessment, ecosystem-based management and environmental monitoring to apply and share this opportunity within their professional networks.

🔗 Apply here: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/277197?language=en

On the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity 2026, UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC participated in the national event held in Tunis. Represented by Atef Limam, SPA/RAC also presented the new 30x30 project in Tunisia. 🌿

🌊Effective conservation is not only about protection — it is also about participation and continuous improvement.

Between 2020 and 2025, the 39 Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs) underwent a periodic evaluation process assessing not only their ecological value, but also management effectiveness, governance, operational capacities and cooperation dynamics.

🔹 The results show that participatory mechanisms are now widely integrated into the functioning of Mediterranean SPAMIs, while management effectiveness reaches an average of 80.5% across the evaluated sites.

Read more in our article published on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity: https://spa-rac.org/en/acting-locally-for-global-impact-good-practices-in-co-management-and-participatory-governance-within-the-spami-network

🌊From 12 to 14 May 2026, an exchange visit was organized in Gökova, Türkiye, within the framework of the “Management Support and Expansion of Marine Protected Areas in Libya (Child Project 3.1)” funded by GEF and implemented by UNEP/MAP SPA/RAC, UICN - Centre de coopération pour la Méditerranée and WWF North Africa , in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Libya.

The visit brought together conservation practitioners from Libya, including representatives of national institutions and civil society organizations, alongside the Akdeniz Koruma Derneği team in Gökova involved in monitoring, MPA management and the ranger system, as well as representatives of the fishery cooperative.

Over three days, participants exchanged practical experience and perspectives, comparing the realities and specific contexts of each country while discussing solutions to shared challenges related to marine conservation and protected area management.

The unique setting of Gökova, between sea and mountains, as well as existing local facilities and initiatives, helped create a dynamic environment for dialogue, learning and cooperation.