Project Brief for MAP
The countries of the Mediterranean Sea basin face a variety of shared environmental problems that are transboundary in nature. The coastal areas around the Mediterranean are heavily populated and are undergoing a dramatic process of development. The populations of coastal states have doubled in the last 40 years to 450 million (in 1999) and will reach over 600 million in 2050. In addition, tourism arrival is expected to rise from 135 million in 1990 to 350 million in 2025, doubling the population along the coast during summer. Population load is shifting towards the southern and eastern Mediterranean and about 60% of it lives within 100 km of the coast. Population density in coastal areas ranges from double to ten times the national average due to the more favorable climatic, agricultural and often socioeconomic conditions. As a result of the increased demand for space, water and natural resources, the stress on coastal eco-systems, and the infringement on natural and agricultural land is continuously increasing
Project Brief for MAP.doc
