Plan Bleu has been entrusted by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and by its previous activities, to carry out a new prospective exercise on the environment and development in the Mediterranean on the Horizon 2050. This exercise follows on from the foresight reports « The Plan Bleu : the future of the Mediterranean basin » of 1989 and « Mediterranean – Plan Bleu perspectives on environment and development » of 2005. Since then, the Mediterranean context has evolved considerably since the last Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) foresight exercise in 2005.
The MED 2050 project is part of a vision of a prosperous and peaceful Mediterranean region, where people enjoy a high quality of life and where development takes into account the carrying capacity limits of healthy ecosystems. Following preparatory activities, MED 2050 is part of a short, medium and long term dynamic to achieve a sustainable future :
Intermediate horizon 2030 corresponding to the objectives of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the2030 Agenda.
Horizon 2050 corresponding to long-term issues such as climate change, possible ruptures in ecosystems and their economic and social consequences (consequences on agriculture, fishing, lifestyles, migration, urbanization, energy policies, etc.), and to identify the necessary transitions.
The MED 2050 roadmap is organized around four main activity modules, each with its own specific utility and methodology :
Module 1 : building the prospective base – past and future trends, weak signals and ruptures, data sheets
Module 2 : compare and share contrasting visions for the Mediterranean by 2050 – with a focus on youth visions
Module 3 : Designing scenarios – exploring possible futures to inform resilience policy development
Module 4 : co-constructing transition paths – guiding decision making towards alternative narratives of the future
Plan Bleu consulted various Mediterranean stakeholders to identify national experiences and expectations and interested parties to participate in the MED 2050 project or to support regional, sub-regional and national workshops. In Phase I of MED 2050, which is part of a participatory strategy, it was essential for the Blue Plan to mobilize existing resources and build a network of Mediterranean futures.
At the time of the adoption of WFP Phase II in 1995, it was stated that « public information and participation are essential dimensions of the policy of sustainable development and environmental protection ». Also, at the 17th meeting of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MSCD), held in Athens on July 4-6, 2017, it called for more attention to participatory approaches involving broader stakeholder consultations, including through electronic tools (web platforms), to supplement the involvement of national governments. MED 2050 will therefore rely on an innovative participation strategy to make the initiative open and collaborative.
This participatory ambition is greatly activated on the occasion of Module 2 allowing to compare and share contrasting visions for the Mediterranean by 2050, especially with the visions of young people.