The Mediterranean is getting hotter – and we need its wetlands more than ever. Wetlands are at the heart of life itself. They give us our drinking water, irrigate our crops, support huge biodiversity, underpin cultures, and are increasingly vital in the fight to mitigate and adapt to climate change. But our wetlands are in trouble. In the Mediterranean we have destroyed about half of them in the last 50 years, and there are intense pressures on remaining areas, most of which are damaged and degraded. When we lose our wetlands, we lose all the benefits and services they offer – and with a growing population and a planet that is heating up, we cannot afford for this to happen.
This short training, will explore why wetlands matter, particularly when it comes to mitigate the effects of climate change. It will also provide fundamentals to talk about these issues through an accessible set of narrative and visual tools. It is in support of an important campaign on raising awareness on the value of coastal wetlands under the name “OFF YOUR MAP” which is run through a collaboration of 12 organisations: BirdLife, DiversEarth, GWP-Med, IUCN Med, MedINA, MedPAN, MedWet, PAP/RAC, Plan Bleu, Tour du Valat, Wetlands International, WWF.
The training is a joint effort co-organised by the Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med), the Mediterrnean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE), the “OFF YOUR MAP” campaign supported by the MAVA Foundation for Nature , the International Water Management Institute and the ‘Making Water Cooperation Happen in the Mediterranean’ project (aka the Water Matchmaker) supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
Successful applicants will also be invited to participate on the following day in a meeting of Mediterranean Parliamentarians & Stakeholders dedicated to "Launching a new decade of sustainable development in the Mediterranean" that will be hosted at the Parliament of the Kingdom of Morocco (see attached preliminary agenda and concept note). It will be a unique opportunity for journalists to be informed first-hand and directly interact with Members of Parliament from many Mediterranean countries as well as international organisations, experts and NGOs working towards a common goal in the region.
A field visit to a nearby wetland of the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region will take place in the morning of the 18th of December.
If you are interested in participating in the activities of 16-17-18 December, fill in the application form here (by November 14th).