Mediterranean Coast Day 2025: a call to action for coastal resilience

A call to action for our coastal communities

Mediterranean Coast Day is an annual celebration of our shared coast and a reminder of our collective responsibility to protect it, bringing together institutions, experts, communities, and citizens, to inspire solutions, raises awareness, and promotes lasting action.

The date marks Slovenia’s ratification of the ICZM Protocol – the landmark agreement that united 21 Mediterranean countries to advance sustainable coastal development. Coast Day is part of the UNEP/MAP Barcelona Convention system and coordinated by PAP/RAC, the regional activity centre for coastal management.

Coastal resilience: an urgent priority

Climate change and environmental degradation are is affecting both the terrestrial and marine parts of the Mediterranean coastline and is expected to pose serious risks for ecosystems and key economic sectors, particularly through coastaline erosion, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and accumulated pollution.

The coastal zone and drivers of environmental and climate change. Source: Policy for Policymakers of the Special Report Coastal and environmental costal risks in the Mediterranean, MedECC (2024).
 
The latest MedECC Special Report on coastal risks warns that current actions towards solutions to environmental problems, adaptation to climate change and its mitigation remain insufficient to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Without transformative measures across all sectors, systems, and scales, climate change risks will intensify, and inequalities will deepen. The report findings highlight that:
  • The engagement of scientists, policymakers, stakeholders, and citizens is key to removing barriers — including lack of understanding and trust — and is particularly valuable during planning processes. 
  • Plans that are co-created by science-policy-community groups strongly increase their chances for successful implementation.  
  • Permanent frameworks for collaboration can secure long-term resilience.

Institutions driving coastal resilience

Behind every thriving coastline are the people and institutions working tirelessly to protect it. This year, Coast Day shines a spotlight on those who drive meaningful change across the Mediterranean. MedECC is proud to be featured in the 2025 Mediterranean Coast Day storymap, recognising the researchers who voluntarily contribute their time and expertise to assess the best available knowledge for well-informed decisions in the region. This collective effort aims to provide a solid, science-based foundation for policymaking and supports a just transition for the Mediterranean.

🔗 Explore the storymap here: Coast Day 2025 Storymap

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