Overview

Overview

The Mediterranean Climate Change Initiative is designed to be an autonomous political initiative as well as a projects-based initiative eligible for Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) branding. It aims to accelerate the region’s responses to the impacts of climate change and lead by example the transition to a low carbon development model.

The Mediterranean has been identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as being especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Many of these impacts (increased risk of drought, longer fire season, reduction in crop productivity) are common across the region yet few Mediterranean countries have produced robust adaptation plans. Despite the Copenhagen Accord and work in Cancun, a legally binding international agreement on climate change is not likely to be secured in the short term. It is imperative that the Mediterranean presses ahead with action now, sharing best practice, experience and tools to adapt to changes already being observed and seeking solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Furthermore, and particularly in the current economic climate, opportunities for common low carbon development strategies in the Mediterranean must be pursued. The region has an unrivalled potential to become a major hub of renewable energy generation for domestic and neighbouring markets. Realising this potential implies increasing the technical strengths to exploit available resources and the creation of innovative large-scale finance mechanisms. It also implies intense collaboration between countries, particularly in the field of grid interconnections, which the Union for the Mediterranean is fostering through the Mediterranean Solar Plan.

As well as large scale renewable energy projects, the development of both climate adaptation and other mitigation solutions could bring significant new opportunities for a ‘green economic boost’ to the Mediterranean. The potential for the creation of new local businesses and high skilled jobs arising from demand side measures in cities, buildings, transport, industry and tourism have yet to be fully explored.

Finally, the emergence of a strong, action orientated Mediterranean voice will support global efforts to tackle climate change through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. It will also ensure that issues relating to the funding of adaptation measures and low carbon development opportunities for the region are explored at the international level and fed into the longer term post Kyoto-framework.
The Mediterranean Climate Change Initiative will provide that voice.