Monaco, March 10, 2025 – Ten years ago, Beyond Plastic Med (BeMed) was launched to combat plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. Initiated by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Tara Ocean Foundation, Surfrider Foundation Europe, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the MAVA Foundation, BeMed has brought together civil society actors, scientists, and businesses to address this major challenge.
A look back at 10 years of commitment to combat plastic pollution in the Mediterranean.
THE BIRTH OF BEMED
Philippe Mondielli, Scientific Director of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation:
“Ten years ago, plastic pollution was already widespread, but it was much less publicized. As part of a call for projects, we received a proposal from Surfrider Europe to organize an international conference on the topic. On this occasion, a real momentum was created between the various stakeholders. To continue this effort, we made the decision to create BeMed.”
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
A continuous funding source
Since its inception, BeMed has been committed to supporting on-the-ground actors through its micro-initiative call for projects. BeMed has launched 10 calls for projects and supported 113 initiatives across the Mediterranean. In 2020 and 2024, BeMed also launched two calls for projects in the Mediterranean islands to preserve island areas.
Creating a community of on-the-ground actors
It all started with a simple idea: « Together, we are stronger. » It is in this spirit that BeMed created a community that now brings together 94 organizations sharing best practices and working together for a stronger impact in the fight against plastic pollution.
Creating a multi-stakeholder dialogue
“With BeMed, we created a dialogue between science, industry, and society. Why? Because the challenge of reducing global plastic pollution is mainly a business issue. For these companies, the plastic transition represents such an investment that they cannot afford to fail, which is why the preliminary dialogue between actors is essential,” said Romain Troublé, Managing Director of the Tara Ocean Foundation.
Supporting the transition of hotels to sustainable tourism
In 2022, a pilot project with the InterContinental Marseille – Hôtel Dieu proved that it is possible to limit single-use plastics by reducing costs without impacting service quality. The initiative was then extended to the La Badira hotel in Tunisia, which eliminated thousands of plastic packages.
“Businesses are a powerful lever for reducing plastic in the Mediterranean. The Business College supports the retail, agri-food, and hospitality sectors. In this regard, more than 100,000 clients have been educated, and 2 hotel guides have been published,” said Antidia Citores, former spokesperson for Surfrider Europe, and Managing Director of Green Marine Europe.
BEMED+, A NEW STAGE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST PLASTIC POLLUTION
Mercedes Muñoz Cañas, Program Manager for Marine Biodiversity and the Blue Economy at the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation:
“In 2024, we launched the BeMed+ project, which aims to capitalize on all the work carried out by BeMed over the past 10 years to reduce plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. The project includes two pilot areas, in Monastir and the Shkumbin River in Albania, with the support of Surfrider Europe, IUCN, the Institute for the Conservation of Nature in Albania, and the Notre Grand Bleu association in Tunisia.”
SOME KEY FIGURES
- 113 projects supported since 2015
- 94 organizations supported since 2015
- 15 Mediterranean countries
- 4 million euros invested
- 10 multinational companies as members of the Business College
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE WEBSITE: BEYONDPLASTICMED.ORG
Financial support:
The BeMed association is supported by the French Fund for Global Environment, the Didier and Martine Primat Foundation, the Veolia Foundation, Chanel, the Aether Fund of the Foundation for Future Generations, the South Region, the Vilebrequin Foundation, the Sancta Devota Foundation, Kresk 4 Oceans, and the Audemars-Watkins Foundation.
BeMed is also supported and hosted by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
Press Contact:
Alicia Suin, Communication and Events Officer
+377 98 98 44 17
