BeMed unveils its 2023 laureates

The Mediterranean Sea, the scene of many human activities, is one of the most plastic-polluted seas in the world. Every day, the equivalent of a container of plastic is dumped into the sea.

Many projects aiming to reduce plastic pollution are underway around the Mediterranean basin. Since its creation, BeMed has supported these actions through its annual call for micro-initiatives. In order to strengthen the impact and scope of the solutions developed, BeMed aims to facilitate dialogue and create a dynamic within the network of actors that the association supports, notably through the sharing of knowledge and expertise.

In 2023, 11 new projects in 6 different countries will strengthen the expertise of this network:

• Review of the situation in Cyprus on the use and import of single-use plastic bags, including an analysis of the implementation of the law banning such bags and an awareness raising campaign - Together Cyprus, Cyprus
• Mapping of public and private actors offering drinking water refill points and promotion of alternatives to single-use plastic water bottles through awareness raising campaigns - OMNIA, Cyprus
• Implementation of a participatory science protocol on microplastics in ten schools, the data collected will be studied and incorporated into existing databases - SciCo, Greece
• Training of local tourism businesses in the reduction of single-use plastics and awareness raising of the general public through actions on the beaches - Municipality of Agia Napa, Cyprus
• Replication of the setting up of a sorting centre in Bizerte, accompanied by the awareness-raising of 5 schools, fishermen and the tourism sector about selective sorting - Tunisie Recyclage, Tunisia.
• Capacity building for the collection and treatment of fisheries and mussel waste, accompanied by an exploration of ways to improve practices in the sector, including reusable alternatives, in collaboration with fishermen - iSea, Greece
• Co-construction with schools of awareness-raising tools on plastic pollution and its effects on health and the environment, which will be used with a variety of local actors - Diving Club of Bizerte, Tunisia
• Working with supermarkets and locals to eliminate the use of plastic bags on the island, developing a bag production unit from unused hotel sheets and fabric scraps - Association of the Ecological and sustainable Development of Elafonisos, Greece
• Creation of an "Eco-patrol" in a river canyon, and implementation of waste collection systems and monitoring protocols to effectively reduce plastic pollution - Sub-Merus, Croatia
• Raising awareness of the general public about the environmental impacts of the use of single-use periodical protection, together with extending and facilitating access to public facilities suitable for the use of reusable alternatives - Rezero, Spain
• Organisation of awareness raising sessions, clean-up campaigns in schools, municipalities and local businesses in the Tyre region of Lebanon - Alissar Lebanon, Lebanon

The Beyond Plastic Med (BeMed) association

BeMed was founded on the initiative of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in partnership with the MAVA Foundation, Surfrider Europe Foundation, the Tara Océan Foundation and the IUCN. Its objective is to fight against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean by working alongside local stakeholders.

The BeMed network now extends to 15 different countries with a total of 93 projects supported. The yellow dots indicate the location of the organisations supported since 2015 and the blue dots indicate the initiatives selected in 2023.

BeMed receives the generous support of the Didier and Martine Primat Foundation and the Aether Fund of the Foundation for Future Generations for its call for micro-initiatives.

BeMed is hosted by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.