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The Cost of a Regional Sea Programme: the Mediterranean Strategic Action Programme

The parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (the Barcelona Convention) have estimated that planned activities to address environmental degradation of the Mediterra-nean Sea will require some US$9.973 billion during the period 1998-2008.

The largest com-ponent of this, US$ 6453 billion, will address high-priority pollution sources, or "hot spots". A further US$ 2.8 billion is estimated for solid waste management and reduction of atmospheric emissions in coastal cities with populations over 100,000 (34 cities with a total population exceeding 18 million).

Also required are US$ 461 million for the implementation of best available technology and best environmental practice, US$ 195 million for the protection of 54 sensitive areas, US$ 37 million for monitoring and enforcement, US$ 13 million for capacity building, US$ 11 million for the development of national plans, programmes and regulations, and US$ 3 million for information and public participation.

Even this level of investment represents a careful tar-geting of priorities. A first estimate by the World Bank of total investment requirements to promote environmentally sustainable development in the region in a "do everything" scenario is US$ 58-78 billion over the ten year period.

This represents 1.3-1.8% of regional GDP, which is comparable to current expenditure on environmental protection in most OECD countries. The World Bank also estimates that environmental neglect in the region costs some US$ 11.5-14 billion annually – or US$ 115-140 billion over the ten years – in health impacts, lost productivity and tourism revenues alone. The cost of "doing nothing", then, far outweighs that of the Action Plan.