Even before taking into account the future impact of climate change, the Mediterranean is experiencing problems in water access and water treatment with the potential for conflict. 180 million Mediterraneans currently undergo water stress, 20 million do not have access to drinking water, and 47 million do not have access to adequate water treatment.
Priority action should focus on managing demand and using water efficiently; improving local and national governance; developing water treatment services; and legal and financial securing of investments to facilitate public-private partnerships. Since 1975, numerous studies have focused on water problems in the Mediterranean, yet the situation has evolved little. There have been many meetings and intergovernmental conferences, but not much concrete progress. The Mediterranean Water Strategy, which was presented at the ministerial con...
Governance:
-Promote integrated water resources management in river basins or other relevant areas according to the countries concerned.
-Consider the Mediterranean basin as a “basin of basins” that includes the major coastal cities of the region by establishing a Mediterranean water agency
-Pool the skills of the different centres of water-focused research, training and expertise at Euro-Mediterranean level, by setting up a Resource Centre on Water in the Mediterranean.
-Improve public management of water supply services and treatment, which is crucial to implementing public-private partnerships.
Financing:
- Identify new taxes to raise users’ awareness of saving water and the “polluter pays” principle.
- Improve coordination between donors and public authorities in countries of the region to assure coherent financing of water works
Resource management:
- ...
In progress...
Consider the Mediterranean as a “basin of basins”
IPEMED is developing a solid, operational project that aims to make Mediterranean water policies more coherent and efficient . The project envisions two new tools of governance and water management in the Mediterranean basin.
-A Mediterranean Resource Centre on Water in the Mediterranean
-A Mediterranean Water Agency
The project will be presented at the World Water Forum , due to take place in Marseille in March 2012 and which IPEMED is partnering 
Hervé Lainé, a senior civil engineer, has held different posts in the French government and major international companies. He has had responsibilities in the areas of infrastructure, urban planning and housing. He was a consultant at UNIDO and has been active in several associations dedicated to international development in the areas of water, the environment and food.
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