- Reporter:
- UNEP/MAP/MED POL
- Geographical scale of the assessment:
- Regional, Mediterranean Sea
- Contributing countries:
- Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey
- Mid-Term Strategy (MTS) Core Theme:
- 1-Land and Sea Based Pollution
- Ecological Objective:
- EO9. Contaminants cause no significant impact on coastal and marine ecosystems and human health
- IMAP Common Indicator:
- CI17. Concentration of key harmful contaminants measured in the relevant matrix (EO9, related to biota, sediment, seawater)
- Indicator Assessment Factsheet Code:
- EO9CI17
GES Definition: Level of pollution is below a determined threshold defined for the area and species
GES Targets:
- State: Concentrations of specific contaminants below EACs or below reference concentrations
- State: No deterioration trend in contaminants concentrations in sediment and biota from human impacted areas, statistically defined.
- Pressure: Reduction of contaminants emissions from land based sources
Background
In the Mediterranean Sea, the Barcelona Convention adopted in 1976 was the first legally-binding instrument for its environmental protection and included a number of protocols, such as the pollution land-based sources (LBS) Protocol. The MAP/MED POL (Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution) was implemented and the coastal long-term monitoring networks developed from 1999. Its NBB/PRTR component (National Baseline Budget/Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) allows the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention to submit the data related to national loads of pollutants discharged directly or indirectly into the Mediterranean Sea for whom it is worth marine monitoring.
Assessment methods
The method for the assessment has been undertaken by evaluating the latest and available MED POL datasets of levels of chemical contaminants against set environmental criteria (for different matrices) at a regional scale. Heavy metals (Cadmium, Mercury and Lead), petroleum hydrocarbons and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) -from the national coastal monitoring networks reported to the MEDPOL Database- were initially evaluated. However, petroleum hydrocarbons and POPs show a data scarcity, a lack of regional coverage and mostly non-detected concentrations, and therefore, this assessment focus on heavy metals (Hg, Pb and Cd) at a regional scale.
Results and Status, including trends
The latest available datasets of contaminants reported to the MED POL Database continues to indicate lower levels of legacy pollutants and contaminants in the Mediterranean Sea biota (mainly bivalves), despite known hotspots, similarly to the previous assessment reports (UNEP/MAP, 2009; UNEP/MAP/MED POL, 2011a; UNEP/MAP, 2012a, 2012b) and temporal trends reports (UNEP/MAP/MED POL, 2011b, 2016b), whilst chemicals show their accumulation and persistence in the coastal sediments.
Conclusions
The latest available datasets of contaminants reported to the MED POL Database continues to indicate lower levels of legacy pollutants and contaminants in the Mediterranean Sea biota (mainly bivalves), despite known hotspots, similarly to the previous assessment reports (UNEP/MAP, 2009; UNEP/MAP/MED POL, 2011a; UNEP/MAP, 2012a, 2012b) and temporal trends reports (UNEP/MAP/MED POL, 2011b, 2016b), whilst chemicals show their accumulation and persistence in the coastal sediments.
Key messages
- Levels of heavy metals in coastal water show a roughly acceptable environmental status assessed from bivalves and fish against BACs and ECs criteria.
- For Pb a 10% of the stations show levels above the set EC threshold for mussel samples.
References
UNEP/MAP/BP/RAC (2009). The State of the Environment and Development in the Mediterranean 2009. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Blue Plan Regional Activity Centre, Vallbone.
UNEP/MAP/MED POL (2011a). Hazardous substances in the Mediterranean: a spatial and temporal assessment. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP/MED POL (2011b). Analysis of trend monitoring activities and data for the MED POL Phase III and IV (1999-2010). United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP (2012a). Initial integrated assessment of the Mediterranean Sea: Fulfilling step 3 of the ecosystem approach process. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP (2012b). State of the Mediterranean Marine and Coastal Environment. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP (2013). Decision IG.21/3 - Ecosystems Approach including adopting definitions of Good Environmental Status (GES) and Targets. COP 18, Istanbul, Turkey. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP (2015). Initial Analysis on existing measures under the Barcelona Convention relevant to achieving or maintaining good environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea, in line with the Ecosystem Approach. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP/MED POL (2016a). Background to Assessment Criteria for Hazardous Substances and Biological Markers in the Mediterranean Sea Basin and its Regional Scales. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP/MED POL (2016b). Temporal Trend and Levels Analysis for Chemical Contaminants from the MED POL Database. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
UNEP/MAP (2016). Decision IG.22/7 - Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP) of the Mediterranean Sea and Coast and Related Assessment Criteria. COP19, Athens, Greece. United Nations Environment Programme, Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens.
