Published every 6 years, the second edition of the MED QSR is the upshot of a collective endeavor involving the Contracting Parties, MAP partners, in particular the scientific community, the Secretariat and the MAP Components. The MED QSR series builds on a robust conceptual foundation and nationally sourced, quality-assured data submitted by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention or other reliable sources, to provide an evidence-based intelligible assessment of Good Environmental Status (GES) of the Mediterranean Sea and coast, based on a GES /non-GES approach, as defined in the framework of the ecosystem approach and its Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme IMAP. The 2023 report has been officially approved by UNEP and now is one of the official UNEP reports for 2024. The preparation of the 2023 MED QSR has seen coordinated efforts on data acquisition covering the 9 Ecological Objectives and 23 Common Indicators of IMAP. The report blends national data with patterns observed at the regional level. By distilling new knowledge, the report also contributes to other relevant assessment exercises at global, regional and national levels, and the implementation of respective policies and regulatory framework. The 2023 MED QSR is divided into three main chapters, "The Mediterranean Sea" "Assessments of the Quality Status of the Mediterranean Sea" and "Main Actions and Measures to Support the UNEP/MAP Work for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea and Coast from 2017 Med QSR."The report is supported by its Executive Summary (approved by COP23 in Portoroz, Slovenia, in December 2023) and the Summary for Policy Makers which was recently developed and approved under the leadership of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention All 3 reports are hosted by a dedicated website developed by INFO/RAC, which is publicly available, to ensure that it can be easily accessible and used by policymakers, experts, the public, young people and scientists and indeed, everyone harboring an interest in the marine and coastal environment in the Mediterranean context. Web site> 2023 MED QSRVideo> 2023 MED QSR Watch the full video of 23th January 2025
The UK construction sector is undergoing a structural transformation as sustainability becomes integral to policy and practice. Government planning reforms embedding environmental sustainability in construction within the promise of 1.5 million new homes indicate that sustainable building design and eco‑design for buildings are no longer peripheral ambitions. By linking planning approval to detailed whole life carbon assessments and life cycle cost reviews, developers must now demonstrate measurable progress toward net zero whole life carbon housing delivery.
The shift toward circular economy in construction principles is tangible through mandatory Circular Economy Statements, which require proof of resource efficiency in construction and end‑of‑life reuse in construction. This marks a decisive move from voluntary reporting to quantifiable performance, reinforcing circular construction strategies that favour low carbon construction materials, renewable building materials and verified environmental product declarations (EPDs). Such accountability is reshaping how embodied carbon in materials and the total carbon footprint of construction are assessed across the supply chain.
Technical progress is matched by regulatory tightening. Enhanced enforcement by environmental authorities signals that compliance with carbon neutral construction standards and reduced environmental impact of construction is now a prerequisite for planning success. As breeam v7 and emerging lifecycle assessment frameworks evolve, decarbonising the built environment depends on integrating sustainable building practices with verifiable performance metrics.
Investment in human capital remains the defining constraint. The urgent demand for skilled labour in low‑carbon engineering and advanced manufacturing highlights the labour market’s pivotal role in achieving net zero carbon buildings and delivering scalable green construction. Training initiatives targeting welders, surveyors and engineers must underpin the expansion of low carbon building capacity and ensure that sustainable urban development can progress from aspiration to built reality.
The emerging consensus is that sustainable construction is defined by data‑driven outcomes—measured building lifecycle performance, accurate whole life carbon accounting and achievable carbon footprint reduction. The sector’s credibility hinges on whether policy, technology and people can sustain this momentum toward a resilient, low‑impact built environment.
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