This report discusses the challenges and importance of achieving sustainable development in the Mediterranean region. It highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the socio-economic conditions of Southern Mediterranean states, exacerbating existing inequalities and hindering sustainability efforts. The region’s vulnerability in political, economic, social, and environmental aspects emphasizes the need to address sustainability to ensure stability and security.

Chapter 2 examines the water-food nexus and proposed new approaches to agricultural and rural development policies to combat water shortages and food insecurity. Chapter 3 emphasizes the role of new technologies and digitalization in enhancing sustainable food production across the region, while acknowledging the need for further research and investment. Plastic pollution and waste management in the Mediterranean are addressed in chapter 4, advocating for higher transparency, remote sensing and mitigation plans. A final chapter discussed about the importance of a sustainable and clean energy transition in the Mediterranean, highlighting the potential of the European Green Deal and EU recovery packages to promote multilateral energy cooperation and economic diversification.