Description: This paper presents major gaps and challenges for implementing the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) in the Mediterranean region. The authors make recommendations on the scientific knowledge needs and co-design actions identified during two consultations, part of the Decade preparatory-phase, framing them in the Mediterranean Sea’s unique environmental and socio-economic perspectives. According to the ‘Mediterranean State of the Environment and Development Report 2020’ by the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan and despite notable progress, the Mediterranean region is not on track to achieve and fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030. Key factors are the cumulative effect of multiple human-induced pressures that threaten the ecosystem resources and services in the global change scenario. The basin, identified as a climate change vulnerability hotspot, is exposed to pollution and rising impacts of climate change. This affects mainly the coastal zones, at increasing risk of extreme events and their negative effects of unsustainable management of key economic assets. Transitioning to a sustainable blue economy is the key for the marine environment’s health and the nourishment of future generations. This challenging context, offering the opportunity of enhancing the knowledge to define science-based measures as well as narrowing the gaps between the Northen and Southern shores, calls for a joint (re)action. The paper reviews the state of the art of Mediterranean Sea science knowledge, sets of trends, capacity development needs, specific challenges, and recommendations for each Decade’s societal outcome. In the conclusions, the proposal for a Mediterranean regional programme in the framework of the Ocean Decade is addressed. The core objective relies on integrating and improving the existing ocean-knowledge, Ocean Literacy, and ocean observing capacities building on international cooperation to reach the “Mediterranean Sea that we want”.

Description: Published

Description: e21031

Description: 4A. Oceanografia e clima

Description: JCR Journal

Description: Population growth, urbanization and global climate change have increased urban and agricultural water demands, stressing aquifer systems where groundwater is a source of water supply. The availability and utility of groundwater may further be threatened by factors stressing the quality of groundwater, such as industrial and domestic wastes and agricultural intensification. Consequences include, for example, over-allocation of groundwater, groundwater overdraft, declining well yields and land subsidence; degraded groundwater quality due to mobilization of natural pollutants (arsenic), salt contamination caused by seawater intrusion; increased demand for conjunctively used surface water, and resulting conflicts with junior users; and streamflow capture and resulting damage to ecosystems. These consequences may occur incrementally and inequitably across an aquifer. Natural environmental problems can further complicate use of groundwater and increase strain on the aquifer system; for example, underground structures, geothermal heating (such as heat islands), and geochemical evolution (such as karst formation, excessive salinity, acidity, fluoride, radioactivity, hardness, or turbidity). To address this issue, a joint symposium on the Trends and Sustainability of Groundwater in Highly Stressed Aquifers was held during the 8th Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, IAHS, and the 37th Congress of the International Association of Hydrogeology, IAH, in Hyderabad, India, September 2009. The symposium was organized by the IAHS International Commission on Groundwater (ICGW), supported IAH and by the IAHS International Commission on Water Quality (ICWQ). This symposium brought together scientists, including modellers, geochemists and hydro-geologists, with water supply managers and policy makers to discuss scientific and management ideas and approaches for improving the sustainability of highly stressed aquifers. The importance of this topic was reflected in the large number of contributions to the symposium. Selected papers from this symposium have been compiled in this volume. The editors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the reviewers who made valuable contributions to this volume. We thank Penny Perrins and Cate Gardner from IAHS Press for their professional approach and help with the processing of the manuscripts.

Description: Published

Description: V

Description: open