2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report

United Nations 1 year ago

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
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 3 hours ago



The momentum in sustainable construction is consolidating around scalable models that balance affordability, performance, and verifiable reductions in embodied carbon and whole life carbon. The Terwilliger Center’s recent award winners demonstrate how sustainable building design can deliver measurable carbon footprint reduction while maintaining financial viability. Replicable frameworks for whole life carbon assessment are informing both public and private sector investment decisions, enabling lenders to align with low carbon design principles and developers to integrate environmental sustainability in construction at the planning stage.

Microsoft’s East Campus Modernization exemplifies how major asset owners are adopting net zero whole life carbon strategies across entire portfolios. Buildings are being replaced with energy-efficient workplaces that target low embodied carbon materials, resource efficiency in construction, and circular economy in construction outcomes. The shift from experimental schemes to enterprise-scale sustainable building practices is driving demand for low carbon construction materials and verifiable environmental product declarations (EPDs).

Regional pressures are reshaping sustainable urban development. Water scarcity in the Mountain West is accelerating the adoption of eco-design for buildings and life cycle thinking in construction, embedding life cycle cost analysis into early-stage design. Social equity imperatives are influencing site selection and planning policy, with communities increasingly assessing projects through both environmental and economic lenses. Whole life performance, low-impact construction, and end-of-life reuse in construction are becoming decisive factors in local approval processes.

The sector’s differentiation now stems from its ability to pair carbon neutrality with resilience and inclusion. Developers integrating BREEAM V7 standards, circular construction strategies, and green building materials are better positioned to achieve net zero carbon buildings and contribute credibly to decarbonising the built environment. Policymakers aligning codes with carbon neutral construction standards and incentives for green infrastructure are cultivating ecosystems where sustainability, bankability, and measurable carbon footprint of construction outcomes reinforce one another.

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