To what extent are issues related to the Mediterranean marine and coastal ecosystem taken into account in operations?

With the publication of its first strategic framework dedicated to the Ocean in 2020 the Agence française de développement (AFD) aimed to set out its territorial and ecological transition strategy at the maritime level, aspiring to have 70% of its Ocean projects presenting biodiversity and climate co-benefits by 2025. AFD also aims to link Ocean preservation more explicitly and directly to its climate and biodiversity operations and strategies, with a view to clarify its contribution to the 2030 Agenda, and especially to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 (Life below water).

After an initial internal assessment of its Ocean activities carried out between 2008 and 2018, during the preparation of its dedicated strategic framework, AFD sought to deepen the analysis of the impact of its operations on marine environments. For this study, AFD chose to focus on the Mediterranean Sea, a highly threatened biodiversity hotspot. The Living Planet Index fell by 20% between 1993 and 2016 in the Mediterranean, with a 52% decline in marine species.