TUNISIA

Abstract and Main Features

La Strategie Nationale de transition ecologique de la Tunisie (SNTE) – Tunisia’s National Strategy for Ecological Transition (SNTE) – sets out a transformative vision to address the country’s deepening environmental crisis and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Confronted with land degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, pollution, and the escalating impacts of climate change, Tunisia aims to shift toward a development model that is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. The strategy promotes a systemic change in production and consumption patterns, governance, and resource management. Agroecology is a cornerstone of this transition, envisioned as a means to restore soil health, reduce chemical dependency, conserve water, and strengthen food sovereignty. Through this approach, the SNTE seeks to secure the well-being of present and future generations, reduce territorial disparities, and build climate resilience—particularly in rural and ecologically fragile regions. 

Some of the main features of this strategy include: 

• Recognition of Tunisia’s high vulnerability to climate change as one of the countries most threatened by it, facing risks such as desertification, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. 
• Alignment with international frameworks (Agenda 2030, Paris Agreement, the SNDNC-RCC, The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, etc.), national frameworks (The National Development Plan, Vision Tunisie 2035) and even a strong anchoring in Tunisia’s Constitution and its protection of the right to a healthy environment. 
• Wide and specific provision of statistical targets envisioned as to be achieved by 2050. 
• Promotion of a circular economy. 
• Digitalization as a cross-cutting element. 

Objectives 

The main objectives of the SNTE are aimed at sustainably increasing produce, income, and access to safe and healthy food. These are identified in 5 main strategic axes which, in turn, contain specific measures, objectives, and actions for their implementation. These 5 axes are: 

1. Establish systemic, intersectoral, and territorial institutional governance and provide adapted and accessible financing systems. 
2. Strengthen the adaptive and resilience capacities of sectors, environments, and populations in the face of climate change and its effects, and reduce carbon intensity to achieve neutrality by 2050, while minimizing disaster risks. 
3. Ensure the rational management of natural resources and preserve and restore ecosystems (both terrestrial and marine). 
4. Lay the foundations for a green, blue, and circular economy within the framework of sustainable consumption and production patterns, and ultimately eradicate pollution hotspots, decontaminate, and rehabilitate polluted sites. 
5. Develop environmental culture, science, knowledge, and the qualification of human resources in the fields of environmental protection, sustainable development, and the fight against the effects of climate change, and disseminate these values among various stakeholders. 

Key Target Groups  

This National Agroecology Strategy briefly mentions key target groups like youth, women and minorities under the intention of addressing them in the launch of a communication strategy, part of the activities under the 5th axis of its strategy, to raise awareness and widen environmental cultural especially among the population. 

Expected Results 

Some of the expected outcomes this strategy is expected to deliver are the following: 

• Shift the current linear economic model of the country toward a circular one resilient to the impacts of climate change. 
• Shift away from business-as-usual mentality and achievement of climate neutrality targets (e.g. full carbon neutrality by 2050, 38% reduction in net emissions by 2030 and 77% reduction by 2040) 
• Progress in the achievement of energy transition goals (e.g. 80% of electricity from renewables by 2050). 
• Increased land area dedicated to organic agriculture (660.000 ha by 2050). 
• Improved waste management (e.g. 20% reduction in urban waste and 10% in rural waste by 2050 as compared to the level of 2020). 
• Increased protection of areas exposed to climate change effects like the areas in south-west Tunisia and near the city of Béja, which are threatened by serious floods. 
• Plantation of 12 million trees annually until 2030. 
• Launch of a national green building program. 

Strategy Development Process 

The development of Tunisia’s National Strategy for Ecological Transition followed a participatory and multidisciplinary approach. The strategy was designed through a combination of framing meetings and consultation workshops involving ministries, public agencies, private sector representatives, experts, and civil society. The process particularly relied since the first phases of the development process from the support of the UNDP and was finally validated and approved by Tunisia’s Council of Ministers in February 2023. 

Ministries and Stakeholders Involved in the Process 

• Government authorities: Ministry of Agriculture and other Ministries. 
• Public Agencies: Agence de Protection et d’Aménagement du Littoral (APAL), Agence National de Gestion des Dechets (ANGED), Agence Nationale de Protection de l’Environnement (ANPE), Tunis International Center for Environmental Technologies, etc. 
• International Partners: United National Development Programme (UNDP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale (GIZ), Japan International Cooperation Agency. 
• Other institutions and stakeholders: Non-Governmental Organizations and private sector through the 2024 National Forum of Climate Change Actors. 

Implementation 

The implementation of Tunisia’s National Strategy for Ecological Transition is structured around five strategic axes, each broken down into 53 concrete measures. These measures are defined to be translated into actions and programs across sectors including initiatives such as the creation of a platform for capacity building. The responsibility for coordinating this strategy relies on the Ministry of Environment, under the supervision of the Government, with implementation responsibilities assigned to all ministries, public agencies, local authorities, private sector actors, and civil society. A special body, the Haute Instance de la Transition Écologique, will be established to oversee regulation and arbitration. The monitoring process will rely on indicators such as the Environmental Performance Index and the cost of environmental degradation. 

Budget and Funding 

The estimated budget for the overall implementation of this strategy is DT 548.667.525 (approx. USD 188.639.936,59). 

Funding for the implementation of this strategy is identified from some of the following resources: 

• Governmental allocation 
• Creation of a common dedicated fund (FOCTEE) for energy and ecological transition by restructuring existing funds. 
• Green Climate Fund (GCF) 
• Public Sector Enterprises 
• International mechanisms (Climate finance mechanisms, green bonds). 
• Establishment of a specialized bank in green finance. 
• International donors and public-private partnerships. 
• Design of a funding access guide to help stakeholders navigate available resources. 
• Introduction of eco-taxes and carbon pricing. 

N.B. This summary was reviewed by the Ministry of Agriculture of Tunisia

 Do you want to send any suggestion or feedback about the information in this page? 

Image Credit: Z. Idoudi / ICARDA