Tunisia will announce, during the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), which will be held in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13, 2025, a new Mediterranean alliance to address sea level rise. Tunisia is the most threatened Mediterranean country, according to a recent study conducted with the World Bank, stated Minister of the Environment Habib Abid on Monday.
Speaking at a conference held in Tunis on Monday under the theme “Tunisia Facing the Triple Global Crisis: Towards an Effective Environmental and Climate Diplomacy for Development,” Abid added that some of Tunisia’s islands — of which there are 60 — could lose up to 20% of their surface area in the coming years due to rising sea levels.
The new alliance will foster the exchange of technical expertise with Mediterranean countries on this threat. It will also create a network of concerned ministries and structures to explore possible solutions and mobilize funding for projects to combat flooding and coastal erosion, he said. Abid stressed the need for Tunisian diplomacy to sound the alarm during this event and urge the global community to take action against the effects of climate change, to which the country contributes little but suffers greatly.
He emphasized that environmental and climate diplomacy is no longer optional but an urgent necessity, in the face of challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution of natural resources. These challenges require international coordination and global solidarity based on justice, equity, and shared responsibility.
Tunisia is working to develop an effective environmental and climate diplomacy that prioritizes strengthening regional and international cooperation, defending the interests of developing countries, and ensuring a just environmental transition, Abid noted.
The country is also preparing to organize a Climate Investment Conference next September, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). According to the minister, all government ministries are currently working on preparing project proposals to be presented at the event, which aims to secure funding for initiatives addressing climate change.
This international conference, he added, will aim to mobilize funds for environmental projects focused particularly on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, sanitation, and adapting to sea level rise. In this context, the Ministry of the Environment has developed a national program to address climate change, structured around ten major pillars. The most important of these focus on preventing sea level rise and protecting Tunisia’s extensive coastline.
Abid also highlighted a major coastal erosion control project currently underway, funded by Tunisia and carried out in collaboration with Germany and the Netherlands. The project involves installing rock barriers against marine submersion and replenishing beaches with sand, from Tabarka to Medenine.
He recalled that part of Tunisia’s debt was converted into climate investments during the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), which took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024. In this context, a Tunisian-Italian cooperation project will soon be launched to rehabilitate and modernize several wastewater treatment plants and reuse treated water to irrigate golf courses, among other uses. Negotiations are underway with other countries to convert Tunisian debt into climate financing.
Furthermore, the minister announced that the Ministry of the Environment is seeking funding for a new climate resilience development project called “The Green Belt.” The project focuses on developing agriculture and forest resources in the governorates of Sfax, Gabès, Kairouan, Sidi Bouzid, Kasserine, and Gafsa, extending to the Algerian border.
For her part, UNDP Resident Representative in Tunisia, Céline Moyroud, emphasized the importance of environmental diplomacy in addressing the global triple crisis of biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change. She stressed the need for integrated national policies to tackle these challenges.
She encouraged Tunisian diplomacy to pursue additional financing for green projects and reaffirmed the UNDP’s continued support for Tunisia’s waste management initiatives led by the Ministry of the Environment.
The conference, “Tunisia Facing the Triple Global Crisis: Towards an Effective Environmental and Climate Diplomacy for Development,” was held at the Tunis International Diplomatic Academy. It was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and the UNDP, with the participation of the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources, Fisheries, Industry, Mines, and Energy.
In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm marked a turning point in environmental diplomacy. It elevated environmental concerns to international priority, adopting a declaration of principles and an action plan to combat pollution. This conference launched the path of multilateral cooperation on environmental issues. In 1992, the international community adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), signed in Rio by 154 countries. This foundational document paved the way for today’s global climate conferences (known as COPs).
