The Mediterranean by 2050: A Foresight by Plan Bleu

United Nations 1 year ago

The Mediterranean is a region with a unique natural and cultural heritage, yet it faces increasingly concerning environmental and societal challenges. To help build a resilient future for this iconic region, we are pleased to announce the publication of the report “The Mediterranean by 2050: A Forsight by Plan Bleu”. This report marks a milestone in understanding the sustainable development issues in the Mediterranean region and offers future perspectives for the next thirty years. MED2050: A Collaborative Foresight Study The MED2050 report is the result of a collaboration among experts from various Mediterranean countries and fields of expertise. It presents six scenarios for the region’s future by 2050. The project aims to inform policymakers on Mediterranean issues while raising awareness among the general public, particularly the younger generations. A Tool  for a Sustainable Transition MED2050 offers a set of “no-regrets” recommendations or measures for sustainable development, emphasizing the importance of cooperation-based solutions at different scales. Given the growing challenges, this report provides a strong foundation for coordinated regional action. The MED2050 report was produced by Plan Bleu, one the Regional Activity Centres of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 2 hours ago



Europe’s revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive is moving sustainable construction from policy ambition to delivery obligation. National Building Renovation Plans will force member states to turn retrofit targets into funded programmes, with energy-efficient buildings, affordable housing and energy poverty now treated as linked priorities.

Decarbonising the built environment will depend on sustainable building design, low carbon design and life cycle thinking in construction that measure operational energy alongside whole life carbon, embodied carbon and building lifecycle performance.

Potential UK-EU emissions trading alignment could strengthen the carbon signal across cement, steel, glass and other emissions-intensive supply chains. That would make embodied carbon in materials, low carbon construction materials, environmental product declarations (EPDs) and whole life carbon assessment more central to procurement decisions.

A more coherent market for carbon would support net zero carbon buildings, net zero whole life carbon targets and carbon footprint reduction, while reducing opportunities for regulatory arbitrage in green construction. Delivery capacity remains the critical constraint. UK local authorities are struggling to meet planning deadlines despite higher planning performance agreement fees, exposing a gap between environmental sustainability in construction and the administrative systems needed to deliver it.

The next phase of sustainable urban development requires executable renovation plans, finance aligned with life cycle cost, stronger sustainable material specification, circular economy in construction principles, and competent public-sector capacity. Sustainable building practices will be judged less by rhetoric than by measurable carbon footprint of construction, resource efficiency in construction, end-of-life reuse in construction and progress towards carbon neutral construction at scale.

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