United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (Bucharest Convention) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention)
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The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) decision to place the protection of the Mediterranean Sea among its priority actions resulted in the establishment of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) in 1975 which is an action-orientated effort involving the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea as well as the European Union. In order to give the actions carried out under the MAP a legal foundation, the Convention on the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (Barcelona Convention) was opened for signature on 16 February 1976 in Barcelona.

In conformity with the decisions of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Barcelona Convention was revised in 1995 to include coastal areas as well as the marine environment. The aim of sustainable development, increased public participation and environmental impact assessment were integrated into the Convention and its Protocols. In this context, the revised Convention was renamed as “The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean” which entered into force in 9 June 2004. Türkiye has become a Party to the Convention in 2002.

The Protocols of the Convention to which Türkiye is Party, are listed below:

- Protocol for the Prevention and Elimination of Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft or Incineration at Sea

- Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities

- Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean

- Protocol Concerning Cooperation in Preventing Pollution from Ships and, in Cases of Emergency, Combating Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea

- Protocol on the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (a declaration was made on Türkiye’s position regarding the United Nations Law of the Sea)

The “Land-based Pollution National Action Plan” was prepared in 2005 in accordance with the Strategic Action Plan that was adopted in the framework of the Barcelona Convention and the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities.

Türkiye is expected to host the 22nd Conference of Parties to Barcelona Convention in late 2020.