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Conservation challenges in the face of new hydrocarbon discoveries in the Mediterranean Sea
Published in Katherine L. Yates, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Offshore Energy and Marine Spatial Planning, 2018
Tessa Mazor, Noam Levin, Eran Brokovich, Salit Kark
The Mediterranean Sea is one of the regions with the highest risk of oil pollution (Martini & Patruno 2005) and has been identified as an area of global concern for oil spills from tankers (O’Rourke & Connolly 2003). A total of 778 oil spills was recorded in the Mediterranean Sea between January 1977 and July 2013 (International Maritime Organisation 2013). Using remote-sensing methods, 897 to 2,297 oil slicks (covering 1382 to 3885 square degrees) were identified annually between 1999 and 2004 (Ferraro et al. 2009). Surprisingly, oil-spill preparedness in this region is limited (Moller et al. 2003). While the probability of a large oil spill is low, such a spill could have extensive negative impacts on biodiversity. Impacts of oil spills could be even greater in the Mediterranean Sea than elsewhere, due to its enclosed geography and its deep isolated basins.
Managing conflicts of interest
Published in Peter B. Myles, Maritime Clusters and the Ocean Economy, 2017
Euro-Mediterranean governments aim to tackle the top sources of Mediterranean pollution by the year 2020 through the Horizon 2020 initiative that is built around 4 elements: Projects to reduce the most significant pollution sources focussing on industrial emissions, municipal waste and urban wastewater, responsible for up to 80% of pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.Capacity-building measures to help neighbouring countries create national environmental administrations that are able to develop and police environmental laws.Using the Commission’s Research budget to develop and share knowledge of environmental issues relevant to the Mediterranean.Developing indicators to monitor the success of Horizon 2020.
Local seismic culture in the Mediterranean region
Published in Mariana R. Correia, Paulo B. Lourenço, Humberto Varum, Seismic Retrofitting: Learning from Vernacular Architecture, 2015
Despite of local bioclimatic variations – with outstanding contrasts between the geographical extremities of the Mediterranean area – the territories surrounding the Mediterranean sea share a mild climate, with hot and dry summers, soft and wet winters, and rainy springs and autumns. Two thirds of the lands of the Mediterranean area are constituted of limestone, which characterise the natural landscape, and provides the most widely used building material throughout the Mediterranean area (AA.VV, 2002). The alluvial surfaces of the Mediterranean banks produce instead soil that is rich in clay, which has played many roles and functions in the vernacular architecture: it has been used for the body of the wall (brick or compacted earth), the mortar, and the protection rendering.
Integrated approaches to assess water quality in two spots along the western Mediterranean Sea, Egypt
Published in Chemistry and Ecology, 2021
Gehan Mohamed El Zokm, Mohamed Abdel Aziz Okbah, Essam Khamis El-Shorbagi
El-Dekhila harbour plays an important role in the export and import of other goods such as minerals, ores, fertilisers, salts and grain. Maritime activities, the loading and unloading of unpacked grains and fertilisers on to and from ships, are a cause of direct pollution in the harbour [4]. El-Dekhila harbour, like other harbours, is also affected by shipping activities. The degree of water contamination of the harbour water from the wastewaters depends on water circulation in the bay. The marine environment of the harbour is affected largely by anthropogenic factors [5]. Coastal areas are ecosystems of great economic and ecological importance. Mediterranean Sea faces many challenges caused by human activities such as overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution. Human activities occurring inside and around the coastal zones are additional sources of pressure to these areas. The discharge of domestic sewage and industrial wastewater tends to increase with the urbanisation and industrialisation in coastal areas and poses a serious threat to the environmental security of coastal marine ecosystems [6]. Economic development and population growth, along the coasts of the world, increased agricultural and livestock production, industrial and municipal wastes all contribute to marine pollution. Some marine pollutants end up in the marine environment and cause adverse effects on aquatic species and human health, reducing biodiversity productivity and depleting living marine treasure. Among various pollutants existing in wastewater are heavy metals which have drawn much attention due to their strong biological toxicity, poor biodegradability in the environment and the ease accumulation and magnification in marine organisms [7]. In addition, other changes are climate change, including acceleration of sea temperature and acidification and change of marine ecosystems. These environmental changes have a negative impact on resources and communities that depend on the sea. Marine pollution is a global challenge for both developed and developing countries. To assess seawater quality, important parameters should be tested inclusive its physicochemical as well as the status of biotic factors, generally in relation to its suitability for a specific purpose. Many investigators have studied the hydrographical and chemical characteristics of Mediterranean seawater [8–14]. This study will be a useful tool for helping decision makers and authorities in charge of sustainable marine management to increase fish production.