Algeria
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Libya
Morocco
Palestine *
Syria *
TunisiaSwitchMed II
Countries covered:
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Algeria
-
Egypt
-
Israel
-
Jordan
-
Lebanon
-
Morocco
-
Palestine *
-
Tunisia
Brief Description
SwitchMed II aims at achieving productive, circular and sustainable economies by changing the way goods and services are produced and consumed. In order to achieve this, the programme will provide tools and services directly to the private sector, support an enabling policy environment, and facilitate the exchange of information among project partners and institutions.
Covered countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia.
Objectives
The overall objective of SwitchMed is to stimulate the creation of new greater business opportunities and decent employment while reducing the environmental footprint of existing consumption and production activities.
Its expected outcomes are:
O1: Enhanced economic opportunities for industry and start-ups following new green and circular business models.
O2: Enabling environment for Resource Efficient and Circular Economy created at regional and national level.
O3: Effective coordination and communication ensuring a cohesive, regional approach.
O4: Increase efficiency and competitiveness of key marine sectors and reduce their negative environmental impacts on the marine ecosystem.
Actions in brief
In order to achieve the main programme objective, the project has been designed with the following overall structure:
- Direct support to the private sector
This action targets both well-established companies and start-ups to support the adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns at different stages of business development. By working with industry, entrepreneurs and business support organizations or service providers, the programme aims to ensure the development of a local market driven by established national competences and ownership among different stakeholders.
- Creation of an enabling environment
This action will work directly with governments, primarily through the Ministries of Environment and Industry. It will convene the private sector, civil society organisations, consumers, media, academia and international organisations to support the establishment of national and regional policies to facilitate the transition towards Sustainable Consumption and Production and Circular Economy. This component will build upon the positive experiences from SwitchMed I by developing and implementing Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plans. In this component, the project will also further develop the regional framework for green and circular businesses under the Barcelona Convention.
- Coordination, networking and communication
This integrative part of the initiative will support the effective coordination and visibility of SwitchMed II. It will streamline communication among internal and external partners and facilitate a smooth exchange of information to ensure a regional approach to the initiative. The project will develop different means for information to raise awareness on the benefits of Sustainable Consumption and production patterns and to ensure sustainability of the action.
- Blue Economy
The Blue Economy component will extend the principles of the circular economy to the activities impacting the world’s aquatic and coastal ecosystems, including not only seas, oceans and coastlines, but rivers and lakes as well, to ensure better stewardship of “blue” resources. The project will support a sustainable Blue Economy that seeks to promote economic growth, responsible production and consumption, social inclusion, and preservation or improvement of livelihoods, while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability of the ocean and coastal areas through the circular economy.
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