Showcasing the 13 Selected Works on “Economic Tools and Environmentally Friendly Finance: The Path to Sustainability in the Mediterranean”
The Mediterranean region is increasingly facing urgent environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and urbanization pressures. To tackle these issues, the transition to sustainable development strategies is more critical than ever.
A key step towards achieving sustainability lies in moving away from environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS) and focusing on Green Public Finances and Green Economic Tools. These mechanisms, which include green taxes, green bonds, carbon pricing, and renewable energy incentives, can help shift financial resources towards sustainable practices, promoting environmental preservation and resource efficiency. Green tools and public finances embed environmental considerations into economic planning, fostering a more resilient and ecologically responsible economy.
Building on last year’s successful focus on phasing out EHS, which led to thepublication of an Edited Volume, Building on last year’s successful focus on phasing out EHS, which led to the publication of an Edited Volume, Plan Bleu launched a Call for Papers in April 2024, inviting experts and researchers working in the Mediterranean region to submit proposals for Policy Papers on the implementation of green tools and public finance mechanisms. After a comprehensive evaluation, Plan Bleu selected 13 outstanding proposals, which are now being funded and developed into full papers.
The selected papers are:
- Une évaluation comparative des outils économiques verts et des mécanismes de finances publiques mis en œuvre dans les pays méditerranéens – dirigé par Jérémie Fosse
- Financing the Green Transition: A Synthesis and Analysis of Green Finance Tools Employed in the Mediterranean Region – led by Sevil Acar
- Helping Economic Policymakers Navigate through Ambitious Climate Policies – led by Theodoros Zachariadis
- Leveraging the Nature Restoration Law – Innovative Financing Instruments for Restoring Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity – led by Gabrielle Aubert
- Economic Support Tools for Marine Invasive Alien Species Management in the Mediterranean – led by Nazli Demirel
- EU Water Policies and Innovative Financing Mechanisms: Developments and Future Perspectives for Mediterranean Countries – led by Stella Tsani and Chrisoula Chitou
- Green Bonds and Sukuk Issuance for the Energy Transition Using CGE Modeling: A Case Study of Turkey – led by Mohamed Benbouziane
- Clearing the Air: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Green Bonds in Reducing Air Pollution in the Mediterranean Region – led by Imen Khanchel
- Towards Mediterranean Green Bond Guidelines – led by Sabrina Dupouy
- Does Energy Taxation Matter for Energy-Efficient Innovations? Evidence from Firms in Southern Mediterranean Countries – led by Myriam Ramzy
- Legal Perspective on the Mediterranean Energy Transition: The Delicate Balance between Green Public Finances and Tools – led by Merve Ergun
- Social Carbon Cost: Measuring Climate Change’s Socio-Economic Impact in the Mediterranean with a Carbon Tax Proposal – led by Hadjer Boulila
- Climate Scenarios for Municipal Fiscal Revenues in Italy – led by Matteo Mazzarano
A Plan Bleu workshop on January 29, 2025, will provide an opportunity for the selected authors to present their first drafts, preliminary results, and conclusions to the Plan Bleu team and selected experts. The workshop will foster constructive feedback and discussions to further refine the papers, which will be finalized after the event for inclusion in a new Plan Bleu–UNEP/MAP, “Edited Volume” to be published towards the end of 2025.
Plan Bleu is excited to support these important contributions, which will help shape a more sustainable future for the Mediterranean region. These empirically-backed insights will also play a crucial role in enriching the ongoing revision of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) of UNEP/MAP, ensuring that it is informed by cutting-edge research for a greener, more sustainable future. Stay tuned for updates.
