Read the full highlights from the UNOC3 side event "Sharing Effective Lessons Learned and Case Studies in the Mediterranean Towards a Future-Ready Sea Basin: From the Regional to the Global Context"!
Side event at La Balaine – 11 June 2025
At a pivotal moment for ocean governance and regional sustainability, Italy reaffirmed its leadership in the Mediterranean during a high-level event at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice. Organized by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MEES) and the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR), in collaboration with REMPEC, INFO/RAC, the EU-funded BlueMissionMed initiative, and the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP), the event showcased how strategic regional cooperation is driving forward the global ocean agenda.
Focusing on integrated transformation toward a sustainable blue economy, the session highlighted impactful Mediterranean case studies in renewable energy, eco-tourism, sustainable maritime transport, and marine conservation. These examples demonstrated the region’s potential to act as a model for innovation, resilience, and cross-border collaboration.
At a pivotal moment for ocean governance and regional sustainability, during a high-level event at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice. Organized by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MEES) and the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR), in collaboration with REMPEC, INFO/RAC, the EU-funded BlueMissionMed initiative, and the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP), the event showcased how strategic regional cooperation is driving forward the global ocean agenda.
The session was opened by two key institutional voices, reflecting Italy’s strong political and scientific commitment to the Mediterranean region:
- Claudio Barbaro (Undersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security – MEES), reaffirmed Italy’s long-standing support for the Barcelona Convention and underscored the importance of Regional Sea Conventions and Action Plans as essential pillars of effective ocean governance. His remarks emphasized Italy’s strategic vision in championing multilateral efforts to restore marine ecosystems and tackle pollution in the region.
- Michele Mazzola (Head of Internationalization of Research at the Directorate General for Internationalization and Communication, Ministry of Universities and Research – MUR), emphasized the vital role of multi-dimensional collaborative research in addressing Mediterranean challenges. He highlighted the importance of connecting science, innovation, and governance to enable systemic transformation.
During his remarks, Mr. Mazzola officially announced Italy’s voluntary commitment to establish the Mediterranean Blue Living Lab Network. This initiative is designed to support the Mission Ocean and Waters actions in the Mediterranean through co-designed, locally embedded solutions. The network will consolidate and expand the current network of Mission Hubs initiated under the BlueMissionMed project, with the endorsement of Greece and further alignment expected from other Mediterranean partners. In the long term, it aims to strengthen regional cooperation across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, advancing marine protection and restoration, pollution reduction, and the sustainable blue economy, ultimately contributing to the New Mediterranean Pact.
Focusing on integrated transformation toward a sustainable blue economy, the session further highlighted impactful Mediterranean case studies in renewable energy, eco-tourism, sustainable maritime transport, and marine conservation. These concrete examples demonstrated the region’s potential to act as a model for innovation, resilience, and cross-border collaboration, aligning regional actions with the goals of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
During the first session, speakers underscored the vital role of the Barcelona Convention in anchoring these efforts and contributing directly to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). Environmental corridors and platform funded to
In the second session, Elisabetta Balzi (DG Research and Innovation of the European Commission) highlighted the strong commitment of the Italian Ministries of Environment and Research through their endorsement of the EU Mission Ocean Charter – an important step in aligning national priorities with European goals. She emphasized the role of BlueMissionMed (BMM) as a regional platform for implementing the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, helping to translate vision into coordinated action across the Mediterranean.
The event also spotlighted Italy’s active role in systemic innovation through EU and non-EU partnerships under programs like SBEP and BlueMissionMed. These efforts are fully in line with the emerging New Mediterranean Pact, aiming to strengthen cooperation between Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East for marine restoration, pollution reduction, and sustainable blue growth.
The event concluded with a strong message: regional transformation in the Mediterranean requires collective intelligence, robust policy, financial investment, and capacity building. Italy stands ready to lead,fostering innovation, equity, and sustainability for the shared future of our sea.
