At the heart of sustainable economic development in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean reflects a large number of issues that arise across the globe:

- A strong demographic growth, especially in the South and East of the region: the population of the Maghreb and the Middle East, is expected to increase by 38% and to represent approximatively 352 million individuals around the year 2030.
- Urban growth and enlargement: the estimations of the Blue Plan for 2025 puts the urban population of the European coast as having stabilised at around 135 million inhabitants (129 million in 2000) and sees the increase in the South and the East as being 243 million (145 million in the year 2000)1.
- Increasing pressures on the environment: mainly due to the phenomena of metropolisation and extensive urbanisation, particularly in the coastal areas.
- Economic divide: the gap in GDP per capita between the North and South shores of the Mediterranean is between 1 to 8.

The area of strategy is to focus on job creation in the face of rising unemployment, to develop tailored training and learning schemes and to improve the standards of living for people and to provide good access to essential services.

In this context, taking into account environmental considerations appears to be an opportunity to contribute growth, list development actions for a sustainability approach and bring innovative solutions on a territorial scale.

Perspectives and issues for the acting participants and the territories

The Green economy can be one of the growth factors for tomorrow’s economy. Efforts to address climate change (in terms of adaptation and mitigation) could generate millions of new green jobs in the coming decades, where the global market for products and services related to the environment, should double from about 1000 billion Euros (in 2008) to 2200 billion Euros in 20202.

This implies logically addressing the economic activity in the production of goods and innovative services that meet the challenges of sustainable development.

In this dynamic, all the acting participants from both the public and private sectors are involved, such as: European and international organisations, governments, cooperation and development agencies, local authorities, businesses, chambers of commerce, innovation managers, developers, public planning committees, research and development institutes and civil society organisations.

How do they address a better integration of environmental and developmental issues, in order to promote innovation and ensure opportunities within the current economy, by developing new ones? What means do they have from within their territories, to lay the foundations for a sustainable economy?

Furthermore, over 90% of companies in the Mediterranean are SMEs. The economic future of the southern Mediterranean depends largely on the development of SMEs, very small enterprises and Start Ups. How does one foster their emergence into the areas of the "green economy?” How does one organise a true value chain and genuine contracting between the North and South of the Mediterranean on this subject?

Marseille and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region take a leading role on these issues

The regional territory is rich in both a long tradition of trade and hospitality and the sensitivity of its people to the "relational economy" is specific to the Mediterranean world.
All acting participants are mobilised for the boosting of cultural and historical assets in the Mediterranean, by strengthening solidarity between territories and using means to improve urban governance and promote the sustainable development of the area.

Communities in the Region have for example, equipped themselves with pragmatic and adaptable tools (city quality charters, agendas 21, climate plans) that support a comprehensive work to involve territories, the economy and the environment and to foster innovative territorial practices. This marks their willingness to enter into a trade and transfer a know-how on specific issues of urban management.

The economic community supports the development of synergies between acting participants and the capacity of the territory, to become one of the major operational bases for economic projects in the Mediterranean.

Marseille and the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region have expertise and strengths particularly suitable in areas relating to the green economy, including:
- Water and the environment: more than 18 acting participants amongst many, are listed as being world class.
- Innovation: recurrent actions of cooperation and transfer of expertise to the south, by many innovators from Provencal and a regional innovation strategy adopted locally in late 2009, includes as one of its many key themes, "Sustainable Mediterranean."
- Economic Development: a regional economy structured around 29 Regional Innovation and Economic Development centres, 9 of which are positioned on the theme of "green" technologies (sustainable building, Capenergie, eco-businesses and sustainable development, risk, sea etc); engineering and financial services specialising in the Mediterranean; a strong propensity of regional companies working on the Mediterranean.
- Training: a high level of studies and research specialised on the Mediterranean.
- Logistics: a globally positioned port and logistics operation, strongly linked to the Mediterranean.
- Planning: an operation by the EuroMéditerranée (480 hectares) for the national interest, is the largest urban renewal project of a city centre in the Mediterranean and Europe, whose scope extension labelled "Ecocités" by Grenelle, the environmental forum, has the aim to build a new model of a sustainable city, with innovations in transport, housing and energy.

Marseille and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region welcomes international institutions which develop activities in the Mediterranean and will confirm their position as active platforms between the three banks, on issues regarding sustainable economic development: World Water Council, Mediterranean Water Institute, the FEMISE Network, UNIDO, Blue Plan, UBIFrance, ANIMA Network, Invest in Med programme, Marseille Centre for Mediterranean Integration...

This builds together synergies enabling to reconcile objectives such as economic performance, urban organisation and economic resources; conviviality and quality of life; by giving territorial dynamic impetus of all the acting participants, with concrete action.

Marseille and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region "At the heart of sustainable economic development" in the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean is for Marseille and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, a major development venture and a source of wealth and potentialities.

At the heart of the sustainable economic development in the Mediterranean, the fourth edition of the Mediterranean Economic Week will provide an opportunity, thanks to the many testimonials notably from the South, to present the abundance of initiatives and projects in the Euro-Mediterranean zone.

From reflection to action, the conferences, workshops and business meetings presented, will provide opportunities to share experiences, to develop exchanges and partnerships as well as generate business and investment in the Mediterranean.

An important appointment: the Mediterranean Economic Week will gather together elected officials, policy makers, businesses and investors, planning professionals, networks and associations, researchers, academics and representatives from international organisations, committed to sustainable economic development in the Mediterranean.