Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention)
Definition
A UNEP Regional Seas Convention for the Mediterranean. It aims to protect and improve the marine and coastal environment in the Mediterranean, whilst promoting regional and national plans contributing to sustainable development. It was signed in 1976, entered into force in 1978 and was amended in 1995.
European Union (2011) 1
Its biodiversity relevance is that it provides the legal framework for the designation of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI). 2