CONFERENCE & B2B – ANIMA particpated in Act 6 of Méditerranée du Futur
Published on 28 September 2023
On September 22, Marseille played host to act 6 of Méditerranée du Futur, a major event bringing together 36 delegations determined to tackle climate change adaptation from a water perspective. The event is organized by la Région Sud-Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur member of the ANIMA network, distinguished itself with two round tables that highlighted the imperative of a macro-regional strategy and laid the foundations for essential solutions for water management in the Mediterranean basin.
ACT VI – Every drop counts. Water is life
This edition was an opportunity for several regions, including Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Occitanie and Corsica, to renew their commitment to a macro-regional Mediterranean strategy. Supported by the European Parliament, this project aims to mobilize the resources of the regions and of Europe to meet the climatic and social challenges affecting the 36 regions around the Mediterranean. The aim is to share both challenges and solutions, as the Mediterranean basin, as the world’s leading tourist destination, is a densely populated territory vulnerable to the effects of global warming and drought, impacting some 250 million people, half of whom live in the European Union.
At the meeting, water-related issues were highlighted, with the projection that by 2030, almost 30% of the European population will live in regions where water will be a scarce resource. Discussions highlighted the challenges of unequal access to this vital resource, as well as disparities in access to infrastructure, particularly in Mauritania, where water flows to financial interests, generating conflict and health crises. Nevertheless, inspiring solutions were presented, such as the commitment of the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River, the Mediterranean Water Institute, and the “No Water, No Us” initiative, which invest in wastewater reuse to promote sustainable water management. These discussions underlined the crucial importance of water as a collective issue, and called for massive investment in infrastructure to solve leakage problems and encourage wastewater reuse in agriculture.
ANIMA’s decisive contribution to Méditerranée du Futur
The active participation of ANIMA represented by Emmanuel NOUTARY, General Delegate, at the Mediterranean of the Future event, act 6, was a key factor in mobilizing key players to address water-related issues in the Mediterranean basin. ANIMA is committed to promoting cooperation between Mediterranean regions and facilitating partnerships between public and private players to tackle common challenges.
Image: © Regis Cintas-Flores