For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020This initiative is funded by the European Commission through DG EuropeAid.
For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020Measuring carbon and water footprints was the theme of the latest Horizon 2020 regional workshop held in Athens (20-21 June 2011). As climate change and water scarcity pressures increase in the region, efforts to improve reporting skills on mitigation and adaptation measures are becoming all the more relevant. With 37 participants from eleven countries, the workshop targeted professionals from governmental authorities and civil society who stand to benefit from the overall understanding of the matter at hand. The course showcased the existing Mediterranean frameworks and strategies and built the case for reducing carbon and water footprints, through measurements and indicators. As with all H2020 workshops, every effort was made to create an interactive experience for the trainees through role playing and the actual calculation of carbon and water footprints.
A four-day training course on “Urban wastewater: Integrated Management of Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems” focusing specifically on coastal areas, took place in Montenegro (18-21 April 2011) within the framework of the Horizon 2020 CB/MEP programme and in response to the capacity building needs identified earlier in the project. The course was organized by the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education with the support of the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA).
Belgium, the epicenter of the European Union, hosted the latest study visit organized under the Horizon 2020 Capacity Building/MEP project. Thirteen decision makers from relevant national authorities and NGOs flew in from Albania, Algeria, Egypt and Lebanon to follow an intensive workshop on “Management of waste from electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE)” (20-22 June 2011), aiming at improving understanding and decision making skills on the subject. Already experienced professionals, they benefited especially from the balanced mix of theory, practice and site visits in Lokeren and Willebroek plants.
Twelve strategically selected trainees from Lebanon, involved on a daily basis in the research and application of solutions on the problem of waste management in the country, travelled to the Netherlands to participate in an intensive study visit to state of the art waste management facilities in order to further enhance their understanding of ISWM (Integrated Solid Waste Management). The workshop was organized within the framework of the EU funded Horizon 2020 CB/MEP project as a response to the imminent capacity building needs identified in the waste management sector in Lebanon.
One of the most challenging issues when promoting Sustainable Development is the shift toward Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). This challenge was at the core of the latest regional workshop held within the framework of the Horizon 2020 capacity building programme. The two and a half-day seminar took place on 1-3 June 2011 in Budva, Montenegro, in conjunction with the 14th meeting of the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development (MCSD) which also had SCP on its agenda this year.
In response to the Croatian Government’s priority to shift from public procurement to Green Public Procurement (GPP), a two-day seminar was held in Zagreb, Croatia (11-14 April 2011). The seminar was organised within the framework of the H2020 CB/MEP programme with the technical assistance of the UNEP/MAP Cleaner Production Regional Activity Centre and the full support of the Croatian Ministry for the Environment.
Thirty two Algerian professionals from all over the country gathered in Algiers, to participate in a three-day workshop on wastewater treatment and reuse organized within the framework of the Horizon 2020 Capacity Building/MEP project. The course, which took place on 15-17 May 2011, aimed to support the Horizon 2020 initiative and its objective to de-pollute the Mediterranean Sea through developing and strengthening the capacities of professionals dealing with the management of wastewater in Mediterranean countries.
The International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO) in partnership with the University of Turin (Faculties of Law and Economics) offer a Master of Science (MSc) in Public Procurement Management for Sustainable Development that explores the legislative, regulatory, organisational and managerial foundations of a modern Public Procurement System. The programme is designed as a blended learning opportunity that combines policy/theory prescriptions with applied assignments and research work. It provides participants with direct access to expertise from academia, international organizations, think tanks and the private sector. It prepares them for a range of executive and managerial functions connected with public procurement management and supervision.
