The Seventeenth Meeting of the SPA/BD Focal Points is taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 20 to 22 May 2025. Representatives from Mediterranean countries and relevant regional partners have gathered to review progress and discuss key directions for future biodiversity conservation efforts.
Hosted by the Turkish Government, this three-day meeting brings together the majority of Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, including 13 out of the 21, with the participation of observers from ACCOBAMS, IUCN, MedPAN, and WWF Mediterranean.
Opening remarks were delivered by representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, the UNEP/MAP Coordinating Unit, and SPA/RAC. Mr. Mahmoud Elyes Hamza, Director of SPA/RAC, welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts to address shared biodiversity challenges. He highlighted major achievements made during the current biennium under the Barcelona Convention’s Mid-Term Strategy (2022–2027), and stressed the value of strategic partnerships to deliver results more effectively.
Ms. Tatjana Hema, Coordinator of UNEP/MAP, underlined the importance of this meeting in setting the course for upcoming decisions, emphasizing the role of the Barcelona Convention as a key framework for cooperation, dialogue, and joint action in the Mediterranean.
Mrs. Dr. Beyhan Oktar, Deputy General Manager at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, noted the country’s efforts to conserve marine biodiversity and reaffirmed the importance of a strong regional framework to support national actions.
Preparing for the MAP Focal Points Meeting and COP 24
The meeting provides an opportunity to present and review key draft documents prepared by SPA/RAC ahead of the upcoming MAP Focal Points Meeting (16–19 September 2025, Athens) and COP 24 of the Barcelona Convention (2–5 December 2025, Cairo).
The agenda includes updated action plans for species and habitats - marine turtles, cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyans), and coralligenous habitats – as well as the updated regional strategy for the conservation of monk seal in the Mediterranean.
Participants are also examining:
- A mid-term assessment of the Post-2020 SAPBIO, with focus on startup activities, and its monitoring implementation framework;
- An evaluation of the Regional Action Plans approach for selected species and habitats adopted under the SPA/BD Protocol, with recommendations for the way forward;
- Draft amendments to the Common Criteria for proposing changes to Annexes II and III of the SPA/BD Protocol, along with proposals to amend the Annexes themselves.
- The Report on the Ordinary Periodic and Extraordinary Review of the areas included in the SPAMI List
- A new Draft Programme of Work for SPA/RAC for the 2026–2027 biennium.
Enhancing ecological monitoring and partnerships
Discussions will be held to strengthen the scientific basis of monitoring across the region. Participants will assess progress in implementing the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) Roadmap, including updates to several biodiversity and NIS-related indicators. These include proposals for:
- Common indicators under Ecological Objective 4 (Marine Food Webs);
- Draft indicators and assessment criteria for Ecological Objective 6 (Sea-floor Integrity);
- Plankton-based indicators for biodiversity monitoring;
- Draft Assessment Methodologies, Criteria and Thresholds for Biodiversity Common Indicators CI1 and CI2.
The meeting will also examine:
- A draft guidance document on Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs);
- The 2024–2025 report of the Ad hoc Group of Experts for Marine Protected Areas (AGEM).
Finally, the meeting will consider 7 new applications for awarding the title of the Regional Action Plans Partners.