The impact of climate change and environmental degradation in the Mediterranean region is the subject of a new report launched at COP29 by MedECC, the network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change, and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).
Following on from the devastating floods that affected Spain’s Valencia region recently, the new report examines the environmental impact on coastal zones and the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus, emphasising the region’s growing vulnerability and the urgent need for coordinated action.
‘A source of immense pride’
“The Mediterranean Sea is a source of immense pride for the 22 countries that border its shores, an inextricable part of their identity and heritage,” commented UfM project manager for energy and climate action, Ines Duarte.
“But it is time to accept that the Mediterranean as we know it may not be around much longer if our efforts to counter climate change continue to fall short. Given its consequential importance, supporting the green transition has always been one of the Union for the Mediterranean’s greatest priorities.”
Sea-level rise
Building on the First Mediterranean Assessment Report (MAR1), the new study notes that one-third of the Mediterranean’s population lives near the sea, meaning that rising sea levels and extreme weather events driven by climate change threaten millions of lives and livelihoods.
Projections indicate that up to 20 million people could face permanent displacement by 2100 if current trends persist. Elsewhere, water demand in the Mediterranean is another critical issue, with summer peaks linked to population growth, tourism, and agricultural pressures.
‘A mix of legal, policy and economic instruments are available to promote the sustainable blue economy and decouple energy consumption from economic growth’, the report states. Because the effects of climate change amplify existing socioeconomic and environmental issues, the most successful pathways for action will involve technological, societal and ecosystem-based solutions that take all four interrelated elements of the WEFE nexus into consideration.’ Read more here.
