Tunis: Tunisia is set to announce a new Mediterranean alliance at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13, 2025, as part of its efforts to combat rising sea levels. Environment Minister Habib Abid revealed this initiative on Monday, during a conference in Tunis themed 'Tunisia Facing the Global Triple Crisis: Towards Effective Environmental and Climate Diplomacy in the Service of Development'.
According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the alliance aims to exchange technical expertise among Mediterranean countries and foster cooperation among relevant ministries and institutions. This initiative will focus on discussing potential solutions and mobilizing funds for projects aimed at controlling floods and erosion. Minister Abid highlighted Tunisia's vulnerability to climate change, emphasizing that although the country is not responsible for these changes, it is significantly affected.
The minister stressed that environmental and climate diplomacy has become an urgent necessity due to challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural resource pollution. He advocated for international coordination and global solidarity based on principles of justice, equity, and shared responsibility. Abid also mentioned that Tunisia is developing effective environmental and climate diplomacy to strengthen regional and international cooperation and defend the interests of developing nations.
Preparations are underway for a conference on climate investment, scheduled for next September, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The conference aims to secure funding for projects targeting climate change, including emission reductions, waste management, sanitation, and sea level rise. The Environment Ministry has crafted a national programme to address climate change, with a focus on preventing sea level rise and protecting Tunisia's extensive coastline.
Abid pointed out ongoing projects, such as an erosion control initiative funded in collaboration with Germany and the Netherlands, which involves installing rock barriers and supplying sand to beaches. He also noted the conversion of part of Tunisia's debt into climate investments at the 29th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Additionally, a cooperative project with Italy will soon launch to modernize wastewater treatment plants and reuse treated water for irrigation purposes. Tunisia is negotiating with other countries to convert its debts into climate financing, and the Environment Ministry is seeking funds for 'The Green Belt' project, which focuses on developing agriculture and forest resources along the Algerian border.
UNDP Resident Representative in Tunisia, C©line Moyroud, emphasized the importance of environmental diplomacy in tackling global issues like biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change. She encouraged Tunisia to pursue more funding for green projects, highlighting UNDP's ongoing support for the Ministry's waste management initiatives.
The conference in Tunis was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, along with the Ministry of the Environment and the UNDP, and included participation from various other ministries. The event underscored the historical significance of environmental diplomacy, tracing its roots back to the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.