The Expert Group Meeting is organized with a dual purpose: (1) to review, discuss and validate the findings of a recent SWIM-SM assessment on cumulative environmental impacts of desalination in the Mediterranean region; and (2) to review the overall results of SWIM-SM activities on desalination, with the aim of establishing a regional dialogue culminating into the formulation of a draft strategic policy note on prospects of desalination in the Mediterranean region.
The above mentioned assessment that covers all Mediterranean countries and was prepared in synergy with UNEP/MAP MED-POL Programprovidesdecision makers in SWIM Partner Countries with a close-up look on current cumulative desalination capacity and resulting emissions to near-shore marine environment and the atmosphere. It also projects the prospects of desalination in the region with an estimation of volume of future discharges up to the year 2030. Furthermore, it provides a conceptual account and analysis of the potential fate, transport, bio-accumulation and bio-magnification of various pollutants to the marine environment.
Further activities related to desalination that have been already implemented in the framework of SWIM-SM and whose results will be analyzed and discussed during the meeting include:
1. A review of the Best Available Technologies (BAT) suitable for countries of the region with a special focus on desalination for rural areas (May 2012).
2. An Expert Group Meeting (June 2012) to review, discuss and validate the findings of SWIM-SM assessment on the subject, to advise SWIM-SM on state-of-the art development in the field of desalination using renewable energy systems and to discuss with SWIM-SM team and National desalination experts regional orientation towards desalination in addition to future activities in support of promoting sustainable desalination in the region.
3. A report on the"Economic considerations for planning desalination in South Mediterranean Countries” (August 2012).
A capacity development workshop on modeling the cost of desalination, in collaboration with MEDRC, to predict the cost of desalination based on scale and technologies used (June 2013).