The Mediterranean Action Plan

MAP covers aspects such as coastal zone management, pollution assessment and control, protection of ecosystems and preservation of bio-diversity.

In 1996 the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) was established as an advisory board and a forum for dialogue. Its aim was to submit to the Contracting Parties and the MAP Secretariat proposals to promote sustainable development and to define a regional strategy of sustainable development according to the principles of Agenda 21.

MCSD is an institution that reflects about policies destined to promote the sustainable development in the Mediterranean basin. The Commission is formed by 36 members: 21 representatives of the Contracting Parties and 15 representatives of the civil society (networks of local authorities, socio-economic actors and NGO´s).

To help in the development of the MAP´s programme of activities, in addition to the RAC/CP, different Regional Activity Centres (RAC´s) have been established, each with specific functions; the Regional Activity Centre of the Priority Action Programme (RAC/PAP)with headquarters in Split (Croatia), the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) with headquarters in Tunisia (Tunis), the Blue Plan Regional Activity Centre (BP/RAC) with headquarters in Sophia Antipolis (France), the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) located in Malta, the Centre of Information and Communication of the United Nations Environment Programme (Info/RAC) located in Rome (Italy), the Programme for the protection of the Historical Coastal Zones (100 ZH) with headquarters in Marseille (France), and the Programme for the Assessment and Control of Pollution in the Mediterranean region (MEDPOL) with headquarters in Athens. The MAP Co-ordinating Unit (MEDU) is based in Athens (Greece) and carries out the secretariat tasks.