The Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in the Mediterranean entered into force on 1 February 2026, making Italy the 13th Contracting Party of the Barcelona Convention to ratify it, out of 17 signatories. The ratification strengthens the regional implementation of ICZM principles and marks a renewed commitment to integrated coastal governance across the Mediterranean.
The UNEP/MAP Coordinator, Tatjana Hema, highlighted that the Protocol is the world’s first regional legal instrument dedicated to integrated coastal zone management. She stated: “What makes the Protocol unique is that it emerged from practice, building on the Coastal Area Management Programme (CAMPs) implemented across the Mediterranean for more than three decades.”
The ratification represents a historic milestone for Italy, which has long actively supported the Barcelona Convention. Italian coastal regions have promoted integrated planning through numerous regional plans and projects, including CAMP Italy (2014–2016) and CAMP Otranto (2023), the first transboundary CAMP project since the programme’s launch.
According to Hema, “CAMPs remain a fundamental tool for translating the Protocol’s principles into action, while Marine Spatial Planning increasingly complements ICZM by strengthening land–sea interactions and improving coastal and marine governance.”
Aligning national legislation with the Protocol’s principles will strengthen coherence between national and regional frameworks, supporting more effective governance. The ratification also emphasizes the importance of international cooperation to protect the 150 million people living in Mediterranean coastal areas and key sectors such as fisheries, tourism, and maritime transport.
The ratification comes shortly after the 24th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP24) and the adoption of the Cairo Declaration, which called for coordinated action to address climate change and biodiversity loss.
As Daria Povh Škugor, Director of PAP/RAC, UNEP/MAP’s Regional Activity Centre for coastal management, stated: “We congratulate Italy on the ratification of the ICZM Protocol. We encourage other Mediterranean countries to join this collective effort to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our coastal zones. Coastal areas face intense pressures and are at the forefront of the climate and environmental crisis. The Mediterranean, a pioneer in developing the ICZM legal framework, is well positioned to demonstrate leadership in putting it into practice.”