The italian environment and sustainable development in the mediterranean initiative

The environment and sustainable development in the Mediterranean are a strategic theme for Italy, the European union and all neighbouring countries. The natural resources of this area are very delicate and subject to growing anthropic pressure, are a public good to be defended, preserved and enhanced.
As the Rio de Janeiro and the Johannesburg world summits stated, sustainable development must be pursued at all levels: international, national and sub-state levels, according to a bottom-up methodology (Agenda MED 21). It is along these lines that the commitment of the Regions, local authorities and the various subjects in the Italian territories to cooperate with sub-state Authorities has grown in these last years.
At the same time, the European Union launched the new Neighbourhood Policy that provides for a more important role for cross-border and trans-national cooperation among sub-state Authorities in view of creating a common space of peace and sustainable development. In 2005, the first MEDA and CARDS Neighbourhood Programmes for the Mediterranean area and the western Balkans should get off the ground.
It is in this context that the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the agreement of the Regions, initiated the “Environment and sustainable development in the Mediterranean” action.
The objective of the initiative is to promote the process of defining concrete projects that can be activated in the short term thanks to resources made available by the European Union through the new Neighbourhood Programmes and by the Italian Government.
In order to achieve this goal, the Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale has been entrusted by the Directorate General European Integration of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with the Italian Regions as well as with the sub-state Authorities of the neighbouring Mediterranean countries and in the western Balkans, with the agreement of the central Authorities, to identify project contents and partnerships on environment and sustainable development issues.