World Bank approves grant of USD6.39M to reduce pollution in Black Sea

(MENAFN) On Friday, the World Bank approved a grant of USD6.39 million for a new project aimed at reducing pollution in the Black Sea. This initiative, known as the Blueing the Black Sea Global Environment Facility Project (BBSEA GEF), is designed to address significant environmental challenges faced by the Black Sea, which has become one of Europe’s most polluted water bodies. The pollution issues are attributed to factors such as eutrophication, chemical contaminants, invasive species, ineffective wastewater treatment, industrial hotspots, and atmospheric deposition.

The BBSEA GEF project will focus on preventing and reducing pollution through various measures and will involve reviewing and aligning regulations in the participating countries: Georgia, Moldova, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The grant will provide support to both governmental and private sector entities in these nations, helping them to tackle pollution more effectively and enhance regional collaboration.

The project aims to establish a sustainable management framework for the Black Sea by developing investment recommendations and fostering increased regional dialogue and cooperation among the Black Sea littoral countries. By addressing these issues, the project seeks to mitigate the adverse effects of pollution and improve the overall health of the Black Sea ecosystem.

Carolina Sanchez-Paramo, the World Bank’s regional director of strategy and operations, emphasized that climate change is exacerbating the impacts of pollution, leading to rising water temperatures and increased risks of waterborne diseases. The BBSEA GEF project is designed to bolster the preparedness of governments and private sectors in the region to address these challenges effectively.

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