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Environmental sustainability in the Mediterranean region : challenges and solutions
'Environmental Sustainability in the Mediterranean region' provides a cross sectoral assessment of the most relevant environmental challenges in the Mediterranean region, including land and water degradation, water and food security, and solution opportunities for these. It also discusses main change drivers, such as changes in climate, land use, population, demographics and technology. Additionally, the book explores improved management, participatory planning, and nature-based strategies and measures for meeting key environmental challenges.
BOOK
Coastal mass tourism
The Mediterranean coastal regions of Southern Europe have long been world leaders in mass tourism. This book examines some key questions for tourism development in these areas, with implications for similar regions across the world. The standardised forms of mass tourism are diversifying – with more specialised forms, notably those based on nature, culture and heritage, and those catering for special interests. There is a growing spectrum of modes of tourism, with an emphasis on variety, flexibility and permeability. Both mass tourism and the more diversified forms substantially impact on sustainable development. Policies promoting sustainable development are often of two main types: developing smaller-scale, alternative tourism products that are intended to be less damaging to the environment and society, and secondly, attempts to make mass tourism coastal resorts more sustainable. But there has been little critical assessment of these policies, either evaluating their basic assumptions or their successes and failures in practice. This edited book critically examines these issues for varied coastal regions in Southern Europe, including case studies from Spain, Croatia, Turkey, and north and south Cyprus.
eBook
A Sustainable Future for the Mediterranean
'Here's a work arriving just at the right moment and contributingnew insights at precisely the time when public opinion remains sceptical of the not very promising future we are preparing for our children, when governments balk at explaining to their electorates the vital but unpopular decisions that have to be taken and when civil society, with few ways and means, is finally becoming involved. This remarkable work will help all actors to understand the inter-linkages between economic activities and the environment in the Mediterranean Basin and take concerted, effective action to build a positive, sustainable future'
Mohamed Ennabli, former Minister of the Environment and Land Use Panning, Tunisia
'The Blue Plan has carried out a remarkable assessment of the serious environmental probems and insufficiently targeted cooperation in the Mediterranean, and also of new financing systems to be implemented, which would increase the capacities of local authorities and economic and social partners'
Georges Corm, former Minister of Finance, Lebanon
The Mediterranean Basin and its surrounding countries is a microcosm of the environmental and sustainability challenges facing people across the world. Depending on the development path it takes in the future, the region can either become a positive model for the regional regulation of globalization, or, more onerously, it might reinforce global instability.
This unique volume is the definitive, authoritative assessment of the environment and development of the Mediterranean Basin and its 22 countries and territories, spanning five decades from 30 years in the past to 20 years into the future. Produced by the Blue Plan within the framework of UNEP/Mediterranean Action Plan and backed by the EU and national governments, it brings together the work of more than 100 researchers from dozens of national, regional and local governments and research groups into the only comprehensive insight into sustainable development issues
eBook
Sustainable construction, Volume 17, Issue 5
This e-book is dedicated to the presentation of key articles and main outcomes of the International Conference SB04MED, \"Sustainable construction: action for sustainability in the Mediterranean region\". As well as being a regional precursor to the Global SB05 Conference in Tokyo, the conference provided an arena for the dissemination of the LIFE \"SB-MED\" Project: \"Enhancing transferability of innovative techniques, tools methods and mechanisms to implement sustainable building in the Mediterranean basin\".
eBook
Coastal Mass Tourism
The Mediterranean coastal regions of Southern Europe have
long been world leaders in mass tourism. This book examines
some key questions for tourism development in these areas, with
implications for similar regions across the world. The
standardised forms of mass tourism are diversifying –
with more specialised forms, notably those based on nature,
culture and heritage, and those catering for special interests.
There is a growing spectrum of modes of tourism, with an
emphasis on variety, flexibility and permeability. Both mass
tourism and the more diversified forms substantially impact on
sustainable development. Policies promoting sustainable
development are often of two main types: developing
smaller-scale, alternative tourism products that are intended
to be less damaging to the environment and society, and
secondly, attempts to make mass tourism coastal resorts more
sustainable. But there has been little critical assessment of
these policies, either evaluating their basic assumptions or
their successes and failures in practice. This edited book
critically examines these issues for varied coastal regions in
Southern Europe, including case studies from Spain, Croatia,
Turkey, and north and south Cyprus.
eBook
Med Diet 4.0: the Mediterranean diet with four sustainable benefits
Objective: To characterize the multiple dimensions and benefits of the Mediterranean diet as a sustainable diet, in order to revitalize this intangible food heritage at the country level; and to develop a multidimensional framework - the Med Diet 4.0 - in which four sustainability benefits of the Mediterranean diet are presented in parallel: major health and nutrition benefits, low environmental impacts and richness in biodiversity, high sociocultural food values, and positive local economic returns. Design: A narrative review was applied at the country level to highlight the multiple sustainable benefits of the Mediterranean diet into a single multidimensional framework: the Med Diet 4.0. Setting/subjects: We included studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals that contained data on the characterization of sustainable diets and of the Mediterranean diet. The methodological framework approach was finalized through a series of meetings, workshops and conferences where the framework was presented, discussed and ultimately refined. Results: The Med Diet 4.0 provides a conceptual multidimensional framework to characterize the Mediterranean diet as a sustainable diet model, by applying principles of sustainability to the Mediterranean diet. Conclusions: By providing a broader understanding of the many sustainable benefits of the Mediterranean diet, the Med Diet 4.0 can contribute to the revitalization of the Mediterranean diet by improving its current perception not only as a healthy diet but also a sustainable lifestyle model, with country-specific and culturally appropriate variations. It also takes into account the identity and diversity of food cultures and systems, expressed within the notion of the Mediterranean diet, across the Mediterranean region and in other parts of the world. Further multidisciplinary studies are needed for the assessment of the sustainability of the Mediterranean diet to include these new dimensions.
Journal Article
The Management of Agricultural Waste Biomass in the Framework of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy: An Opportunity for Greenhouse Agriculture in Southeast Spain
For decades, non-renewable resources have been the basis of worldwide economic development. The extraction rate of natural resources has increased by 113% since 1990, which has led to overexploitation and generation of vast amounts of waste. For this reason, it is essential that a sustainable development model is adopted—one which makes it possible to produce more food and energy with fewer fossil fuels, low pollutant gas emissions and minimal solid waste. Certain management policies and approaches, such as the strategy of a circular ecocomy or bioeconomy, are oriented towards sustainable production and consumption. The present study focuses on the importance of intensive horticulture in the Mediterranean region, specifically in the province of Almería (Spain). After having conducted a study of the main crops in this area, it was determined that the waste biomass generated presented strong potential for exploitation. With the proper regulatory framework, which promotes and prioritises the circularity of agricultural waste, there are several opportunities for improving the current waste management model. In the same way, the results of the economic evaluation demonstrate that the alternative of self-management of waste biomass is profitable, specifically from tomato crops. Compost and green fertilizer production also prove to be a key strategy in the transition towards a more circular and sustainable agricultural production model. As for the said transition, government support is vital in terms of carrying out awareness campaigns and training activities and providing financing for Research and Development (R&D).
Journal Article
Tourism, economic growth, and tourism-induced EKC hypothesis: evidence from the Mediterranean region
This paper investigates the relationship among CO2 emissions, energy consumption, economic growth and tourism development using data for a panel of 18 Mediterranean countries over the period 1995–2010. The findings from cointegrating polynomial regression indicate that the tourism-induced environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis is confirmed for three out of nine countries for which cointegration tests suggest a long-run equilibrium relationship between the examined variables. A group of causalities have been found for the Mediterranean countries. In particular, our results demonstrate bidirectional causality between GDP and tourism development for the Northern Mediterranean countries, while for the southern and global panel we document one-way causality running from tourism development to economic growth. We also show unidirectional causality running from tourism to CO2 emissions across regions. The empirical results suggest that Mediterranean countries should place more emphasis on tourism development, sustainable tourism in particular, given the potential relationship among tourism development, GDP and CO2 emissions.
Journal Article
Agroecological practices for sustainable weed management in Mediterranean farming landscapes
Weed management in agriculture is hampered by inefficient intensive methods, such as monoculture, deep plowing, and herbicides, leading to health and environmental problems. Furthermore, the prevalence of herbicide-resistant weed ecotypes in the Mediterranean, particularly in France (with over 61 ecotypes), Spain (41), and Italy (37), is a major concern, with a significant proportion of herbicides in the region. In this study, we examined the benefits of adopting agroecology as a sustainable approach for weed management in the Mediterranean region. Agroecology offers a variety of techniques and practices to improve sustainability and weed management, while preserving ecological balance and biodiversity. However, solving these challenges is multifactorial and depends on local specificities, predominant weed species, crops, sowing dates, and pedo-climatic factors. In addition, this study included a systematic analysis of agroecological weed management in Mediterranean countries, assessing the effectiveness of existing practices, and identifying areas requiring further exploration in agroecosystems. A bibliometric analysis was also included to assess the literature on agroecology and weed management quantitatively, identifying major trends, influential studies, and research gaps. The bibliometric analysis highlighted the importance of alternative herbicides in Mediterranean “weed” (with a link strength of 44), “agroecology” (22), and “biodiversity” (16). Italy has the strongest collaboration network, with a link strength of 61, followed by Turkey (44), and France (42). Using specific keywords to agroecological practices for weed management in Scopus, France worked the most in this context (around 25% of studies), followed by Spain (17%) and Italy (17%), while all other countries contributed to less than 40% of studies carried out in the Mediterranean context. Clearly, it is imperative to foster collaboration between Mediterranean countries to develop effective and sustainable weed control strategies. Understanding the challenges of herbicide-resistant weeds, exploring their reasons and mechanisms, and using systematic studies and bibliometric analyses will help to develop effective strategies for managing weeds in the Mediterranean. Agroecological management favors effective control, while promoting healthy and sustainable ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring long-term food security.
Journal Article
Introduction of alternative crops in the Mediterranean to satisfy EU Green Deal goals. A review
Climate change affects the sustainability of farming systems by downgrading soil fertility and diminishing crop yields. Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals aims to achieve key performance indicators to convert effectually currently degraded agroecosystems into smart, climate-resilient, and profitable farming systems. The introduction of alternative crops could equilibrate the negative impact of increased temperatures and water scarcity to ensure sufficient farm profitability. Alternative crops such as quinoa, teff, tritordeum, camelina, nigella, chia, and sweet potato show a high acclimatization potential to various conditions and could be components of novel re-designed agroecosystems, satisfying the goals the EU Green Deal for reduced chemical input use by 2030. In certain occasions, they adapt even better than conventional or traditional crops and could be integrated in crop rotations, demonstrating multiple uses that would benefit farmers. This review aimed to (i) evaluate seven alternative crops based on their potential contribution to climate change mitigation, in compliance with the EU (European Union) Green Deal objectives and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) of the UN (United Nations), and (ii) examine the factors that would determine their successful integration in the Mediterranean Basin. These limiting factors for crop establishment included (i) soil properties (soil texture, pH value, salinity, and sodicity), (ii) environmental parameters (temperature, altitude, latitude, photoperiod), and (iii) crop performance and dynamics regarding water demands, fertilization needs, light, and heat requirements. All proposed crops were found to be adaptable to the Mediterranean climate characteristics and promising for the implementation of the goals of EU and UN.
Journal Article