Background: UNEP/MAP and the Barcelona Convention

The United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) is the first Regional Seas Programme established under UNEP. In 1976, the Barcelona Convention was adopted by the Mediterranean coastal countries and the European Union, thereby committing themselves to the protection of the marine and coastal environment of the Mediterranean.

The MAP system operates within a structured framework composed of the Contracting Parties, a Coordinating Unit, and Regional Activity Centres (RACs) with specific thematic mandates. Through their respective areas of expertise, the RACs contribute to building the necessary knowledge and capacity for the effective implementation of the Convention.

The Mediterranean region is internationally recognized as a global climate change hotspot, facing increasingly severe and diverse impacts. The need to establish a dedicated Regional Activity Centre on climate change under the UNEP/MAP system was first expressed at the 22nd Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, held in Antalya. During the same meeting, Türkiye officially declared its intention to host this Centre.