Being a sea border for 22 riparian countries or territories that belong to three continents, the Mediterranean coastal zone represents an invaluable asset not only because of the value of its ecosystems and its cultural heritage, but also of its social function and its maritime identity.
This unique space, a common good of the Mediterranean countries, is coveted by human activities at the origin of considerable pressures on the environment and of conflicts over resources, leading to continuous degradation of the milieux and to often irreversible losses of biodiversity and resources.
