The Mediterranean at a Crossroads: Environmental Challenges and Hopes for Rescue

It occupies only 0.82% of the world's ocean area, but its waters are home to 7.5% of all known marine fauna and 18% of the oceanic flora. The Mediterranean is one of the most abundant and at the same time most vulnerable seas on the planet. The fates of three continents, millennia of history, and a unique ecosystem, which today finds itself on the brink of catastrophe, are intertwined here. Overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change, shipping, and invasive species are turning this inland sea into an ecological testing ground. But there is good news: for the first time in many decades, the Mediterranean countries have begun to act in a coordinated manner. The success of these actions will depend not only on the future of the sea itself but also on that of millions of people living on its shores.

Biological Treasure at Risk

The Mediterranean is a true open-air museum of living nature. It is home to nearly 20% of all known marine species. However, this sea is among the most affected by human activity. This is not just about the extinction of individual species but also about the destruction of entire ecosystems. More than 30% of the meadows of the unique Mediterranean sea grass, known as the \"lungs of the Mediterranean,\" have already disappeared. The forests of macroalgae and oyster banks have lost up to 80% of their area.

The sea is warming three times faster than the world's oceans as a whole, making it one of the main \"hotspots\" of climate change. This leads to the mass death of endemic species, such as oceanic posidonia. The meadows of this marine grass, which play the role of \"nurseries\" for many fish and mollusks, have lost more than half of their original area over the last century.

The situation with predators is no less alarming. More than half of the shark and ray species in the Mediterranean are already at risk of extinction. The great white shark, one of the most recognizable marine predators, is now considered a species in critical danger in this region. Scientists believe that there are only a few hundred or even dozens of these sharks left in the Mediterranean. Researchers working in the Sicilian Strait—the \"last refuge\" for several endangered species—failed to find a single white shark during two weeks of work, despite using three tons of bait. At the same time, no less than 40 individuals were killed on the north African coast in 2025 alone, despite the fact that their hunting is prohibited by international agreements.

Goal 30x30: The Barcelona Convention and a New Direction

In December 2025, the 24th meeting of the parties to the Barcelona Convention—the main international treaty for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea—took place in Cairo. This event marked a turning point. The participating countries undertook to expand marine protected areas to 30% of the total area of the water body by 2030. Today, less than 9% of the area is under protection, and only 1% is under full protection. This means that a colossal amount of work lies ahead: about 90% of the Mediterranean is currently unprotected.

In addition to expanding protected areas, the parties to the convention adopted:

• The Strategy for the Sustainable Development of the Mediterranean for 2026–2035;
• The regional framework program for adaptation to climate change for marine and coastal zones;
• A commitment to eliminate harmful single-use plastics by 2030;
• The transition to a sustainable low-carbon \"blue\" economy and shipping.

As noted in the summary of the negotiations, the Barcelona Convention \"serves as an example of how to translate global environmental commitments into regional legal instruments and actions.\" However, experts warn that even existing protected areas suffer from poor design and insufficient control, which reduces their effectiveness.

Who Contributes Most to the Recovery

The recovery of the Mediterranean is a story of international cooperation involving dozens of countries. The leaders are the European Union countries, which finance and coordinate most nature conservation projects.

The European Commission has launched the TASC-RestoreMed program aimed at restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems within the mission \"Restore Our Oceans and Waters by 2030.\" The SEACURE project, funded by the EU, demonstrates innovative solutions for reducing nutrient pollution in six regions of Spain, Italy, and Greece. The MIRAMAR project, involving Albania, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain, is developing new methods for monitoring the cumulative impact of pollutants on marine ecosystems.

Among the North African countries, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia are playing an active role. Within the RHE-MEDiation program, these countries are testing microalgal-based purification technologies and developing strategies to reduce chemical pollution. Tunisia joined the European SeaCure program in 2026, which is already operating in Spain, Italy, and Greece.

An important coordinating role is played by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP), which celebrated its 50th anniversary of work in the region in 2026. Under the aegis of UNEP/MAP, meetings of steering committees of projects for the management of marine debris and protected areas are taking place in Athens.

Worth mentioning is Greece, which launched a program in 2026 to pay fishermen for the catch of the toxic fish Lagocephalus sceleratus—an invasive species that is actively multiplying in the warming waters of the eastern part of the Mediterranean and causing serious economic damage to fisheries.

Endangered Species

The list of species at risk of extinction in the Mediterranean is growing every year. Among the most critical situations:

• Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) — declared a species in critical danger. Main threats: illegal fishing, accidental entanglement in nets, and ecosystem degradation.
• Pygmy angel shark (Squatina aculeata) — a species in critical danger due to overfishing and bycatch.
• Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) — one of the rarest seals in the world, suffering from habitat loss and collisions with ships.
• Oceanic posidonia (Posidonia oceanica) — an endemic marine plant that has lost more than half of its area over the last century.
• European eel (Anguilla anguilla) — a species in critical danger, for which progressive measures for recovery are being taken in the region.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature also lists the short-nosed mackerel, the marine angel, the hammerhead shark, and the sea otter as vulnerable species. A total of 24 Mediterranean shark species are under international protection.

In recent years, invasive species entering through the Suez Canal pose a serious threat. The silver pomfret (Lagocephalus sceleratus), the common lyretail (Pterois miles), the rabbitfish (Siganus spp.), and the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) are causing immense damage to local ecosystems and fisheries. New research is documenting the rapid expansion of another invasive crab—Gonioinfradens giardi—in the Ionian Sea.

Where the Sea Is Cleaner: Along the European or African Shores?

The answer to this question is not as straightforward as it may seem. Data on wastewater treatment show that Western Europe achieves 78% treatment of wastewater, while North Africa—only 31%. European countries have more developed infrastructure for combating pollution.

However, the situation varies not only between continents but also within them. For example, Cyprus topped the rating of countries with the cleanest beaches in 2026, showing 100% excellent bathing areas. Greece (97.1%) and Bulgaria (96.9%) also rank among the leaders. At the same time, research shows that remote areas of Greek islands and parts of the Adriatic Sea are significantly cleaner than densely populated coastal zones.

When it comes to a specific comparison between Europe and Africa, a 2015–2016 study conducted in two coastal cities—Bizerte (Tunisia) and Marseille (France)—showed that levels of pollution vary depending on the type of pollutants. At the same time, the overall impact on ecosystems in African countries is relatively higher than in European ones, considering their economic level. This means that even with lower absolute levels of pollution, the African coast is under a more serious load due to less developed infrastructure and control.

It is important to note that more than 87% of the Mediterranean is polluted with microplastics and other toxic substances. This is a global problem that knows no borders: pollution washed up on the African coast can be carried by currents to European beaches.

Prospects for the Next Decade

The next decade will be crucial for the Mediterranean. The 30x30 goal adopted within the framework of the Barcelona Convention implies not just expanding protected areas but also a fundamental change in approaches to the management of marine resources.

Key directions for 2026–2035:

1. Create new protected areas—especially in areas inhabited by endangered species, such as the upper Adriatic, where rare angel sharks are preserved.
2. Reduce the speed of ships in areas inhabited by whales and dolphins to prevent collisions.
3. Prohibit harmful single-use plastics by 2030.
4. Transition to sustainable fishing and stop overfishing by 2030.
5. Ratify and implement the UN High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) for the protection of the high seas.

As the authors of a recent study in Cambridge University Press write, achieving the 30x30 goals requires a coordinated basin approach integrating ecological, social, economic, and cultural aspects. Without this, even the most ambitious plans will remain just on paper.

WWF, one of the leading organizations fighting for the preservation of the Mediterranean, emphasizes: \"90% of the Mediterranean is currently not protected. This does not correspond to the ecological significance of this unique marine region.\" Experts call on all coastal states to sign and ratify the new UN convention on the high seas, which could become a key instrument for long-term protection of this unique basin.

The Mediterranean is the common heritage of three continents. Its fate depends on whether Europe, Africa, and Asia can unite their efforts not just in words but in action. The first steps have already been taken. Now it is important that promises are followed by real actions—and that in ten years we can say that the Mediterranean has become not only cleaner but also safer for all its inhabitants.
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