Plan Bleu

What Plan Bleu does

Plan Bleu is a non-profit research and policy support organization established in 1977 by France as one of the Regional Activity Centres of UNEP/MAP, operating under the framework of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea. Headquartered in Marseille at Tour la Marseillaise, the organization produces socio-economic studies, environmental and sustainable development indicators, foresight scenarios (notably the MED 2050 initiative), and policy recommendations for the 23 Mediterranean countries that participate in the Barcelona Convention framework.

Its core deliverables are knowledge products rather than commercial software. The portfolio includes the MED 2050 foresight platform, the Mediterranean Environment and Sustainable Development Observatory (obs.planbleu.org) which provides regional data and indicators, a documentary resources archive (docs.planbleu.org), indicator dashboards, infographics, and prospective methodologies. It also hosts the secretariat of MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change), a network of more than 380 scientists across 31 countries, since May 2018.

Plan Bleu does not operate a commercial revenue model. It is funded by assessed contributions from the 21 Mediterranean contracting parties and the European Union, supplemented by project-based grants from international donors such as the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Monaco, and by participation in EU-funded programmes (Interreg MED, GEF MedProgramme). Its customer base is institutional — Mediterranean governments, EU bodies, scientific communities, and civil society organizations — and its go-to-market is through publications, events such as COP24, and partnerships rather than direct sales.

Name

Plan Bleu

Legal name

PLAN BLEU

Website

https://planbleu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plan Bleu is a Marseille-based non-profit and UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre, founded in 1977, that produces socio-economic studies, environmental indicators, and foresight scenarios (MED 2050) to support sustainable development policy across the 23 Mediterranean countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Research and Policy Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Environmental research services
• Mediterranean sustainable development
• Socio-economic policy studies
• Environmental indicators foresight
• Climate adaptation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseilles

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Plan Bleu is a non-profit research and policy support organization that produces socio-economic studies, environmental indicators, foresight scenarios, and policy recommendations for Mediterranean sustainable development. Operating as a Regional Activity Centre of UNEP/MAP under the Barcelona Convention, it delivers the MED 2050 foresight platform, the Mediterranean Environment and Development Observatory, indicators, infographics, and documentary resources to inform governments, researchers, and civil society.

Product overview

Plan Bleu is a research and policy support organization operating as a Regional Activity Centre of UNEP/MAP under the Barcelona Convention. Rather than a commercial product company, Plan Bleu offers a portfolio of knowledge services including the MED 2050 foresight platform for long-term Mediterranean scenarios, the Mediterranean Environment and Development Observatory (Observatoire) for data monitoring, documentary resources, environmental indicators, infographics, and prospective methodologies. These services support evidence-based policymaking and regional cooperation for sustainable development across the Mediterranean basin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MED 2050 Foresight initiative producing long-term scenarios for the Mediterranean region at the 2050 horizon, designed to inform decision-makers about sustainable development pathways.
• Mediterranean Environment and Sustainable Development Observatory Observatory platform providing data and indicators on Mediterranean environmental and sustainable development conditions, used by researchers, governments, and the public.
• Documentary Resources Documentary resources and publications archive providing access to studies, reports, and research outputs produced by Plan Bleu over 40+ years.
• Environmental and Development Indicators Environmental and development indicators for monitoring Mediterranean sustainable development trends and informing policy.
• Infographics Visual infographics presenting environmental data and statistics for the Mediterranean region, used to communicate findings to broad audiences.
• Prospective Methods Forward-looking methodologies and approaches for scenario building and strategic planning applied to Mediterranean sustainable development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mediterranean region warms 20% faster than global average, requiring specialized regional climate adaptation research
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2018
• UNEP/MAP (United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Interreg MED Programme (PANACeA, InnoBlueGrowth, BleuTourMed)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Union for the Mediterranean (UpM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Aix-Marseille University and IRDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• ANIMA Investment Network and Enterprise GreeceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner
• BirdLife InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MedCities: Network of Mediterranean cities for sustainable urban development; comparable as a Mediterranean governance network producing policy guidance and convening local authorities, partially overlapping with Plan Bleu's resilient cities and coastal themes.
• WWF Mediterranean: Regional branch of WWF focused on Mediterranean marine and coastal conservation; comparable in addressing Mediterranean environmental sustainability and engaging the same set of governments and stakeholders.
• IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation: IUCN's regional hub for Mediterranean conservation and sustainable development; directly comparable in producing policy-relevant assessments and convening science-policy dialogue across the region.
• CIESM (Mediterranean Science Commission): International marine science organization dedicated to advancing knowledge of the Mediterranean; comparable to Plan Bleu as a regional scientific/policy research body focused on Mediterranean environmental knowledge production.
• REMPEC (Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre): Another UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre based in Malta, addressing marine pollution prevention and response; comparable as a sister RAC with similar institutional structure, Mediterranean scope, and donor dependency.
• SPA/RAC (Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre): A sister UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre under the Barcelona Convention framework focused on biodiversity and protected areas; directly comparable in mandate, governance, and funding model to Plan Bleu.
• UNEP-WCMC (UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre): UN-affiliated centre providing biodiversity-related data and policy analysis; comparable to Plan Bleu in producing environmental indicators, assessments, and science-based policy support under a UN mandate.

Broad incumbents

• European Environment Agency (EEA): EU agency producing environmental data, indicators, and assessments at a broader European scale; comparable to Plan Bleu in indicator and assessment work but operating at a wider geographic and institutional level.
• Union for the Mediterranean (UfM): Intergovernmental organization bringing together EU and Mediterranean countries; comparable as a regional governance platform with overlapping policy mandates on sustainable development where Plan Bleu is a strategic partner.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): Independent research institute producing policy-relevant environmental and sustainability research globally; comparable in producing integrated socio-economic and environmental assessments for decision-makers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/planbleu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjjBTtzfbzWqfJYry7aS_vg
• Facebookfacebook.com/planbleu.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plan-bleu
• Instagraminstagram.com/planbleu.rac

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plan Bleu