MedCities is partner to the EU Horizon project BlueMissionMed recently launched in Venice, Italy. BlueMissionMed supports the implementation of the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030” by inspiring, engaging, empowering and activating, connecting, supporting, and operationalising Mediterranean stakeholders to decrease marine pollution by 30-50% by 2030.

This Coordination & Support Action (CSA) was launched last 26 and 27 January in Venice hosted by the project leader, National Research Council of Italy – CNR-, and gathering representatives from the 16 institutions form 7countries who conform the consortium as well as representatives from the European Commission DG for Research & Innovation who leads de Mission implementation.

BlueMissionMed is intended as an interactive, multi-actors and transdisciplinary platform able to offer to all Mediterranean countries, regions, local authorities and stakeholders’ access to knowledge and tools with the aim to promote basin-wide cooperation, commitment and deployment of solutions addressing the Mediterranean Mission objectives. It will Inspire, Inform, Assess, Mobilise, Connect and Empower stakeholders from the Quadruple Helix (Research& Technology& Innovation, Policy& Governance, Business& Finance, Civil Society).

MedCities will particularly focus on the engagement and mobilisation of local authorities and local stakeholders and upscaling these outputs Mediterranean-wide through the network. In the very same framework, MedCities participated to the first Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters Annual Forum, on February 17th in Brussels. The event focused on the commitments to implement the Mission and illustrated concrete measures and actions to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, boost coastal resilience, eliminate pollution, and make the blue economy climate-neutral and circular, as well as recommend further necessary initiatives. The Forum gathered the first communities of actors of the Mission and intended to boost further adhesions to the Mission Charter. With the Charter the European Commission is calling on a wide range of stakeholders, to adhere to the Mission Charter by submitting actions for achieving the Mission objectives.

MedCities takes this opportunity to call all member cities especially active in enhancing solid and water waste management and prevention of pollution to joint forces submitting actions to the Mission Charter. MedCities Secretariat remains at the disposal of all members to support this process