State of play on climate in the Mediterranean: 2018 UfM Climate Week in Barcelona

23-25 April 2018, Barcelona. The Mediterranean region is one of the world’s climate change hotspots where the rise of temperature by 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels, the lower limit not to be surpassed as agreed through the Paris Agreement, is at risk of being exceeded in the coming years. The UfM Climate Week taking place these days in Barcelona is gathering a wide range of actors (UfM members, UNFCCC -United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change- and European Union representatives, youth networks, international financial institutions, scientific experts…) around different topics, all related to climate action in the Mediterranean region. It’s the opportunity to create and enhance synergies among them and to enrich the discussions and exchanges on climate change challenges in the Mediterranean region.

The discussions have focused on several issues of great concern for the Mediterranean region and the members of the UfM such as climate finance, which will identify, develop, and scale new financial tools for a low carbon, climate-resilient transition.

The follow up of the UfM Climate Finance Study, presented at COP23, was discussed. The UfM Climate Finance Study presents an overview on the state of climate finance in the East and South of the Mediterranean. The study reveals that the Southern and Eastern countries of the Mediterranean region have received USD 6.8 billion in climate financing per year between 2013 and 2015, according to OECD, which represents from 11% to 16% of the worldwide funding for climate finance. It shows that there is a window of opportunities for an enhanced and coordinated regional action, notably through the promotion of region-wide projects focused on climate change adaptation and the active involvement of the private sector.

Two specific sectoral reports, respectively on tourism and agriculture and currently under preparation, have been introduced to the UfM CCEG members. On tourism, the study aims to support the UfM Member States of the ENI South Region (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia) in discussing their national policies and measures related to the integration of climate change issues in tourism and how they address climate change impacts that could affect tourism destinations, their competitiveness and sustainability. On agriculture, the study considers how policies and measures are addressing climate change impacts that could affect agriculture, such as water shortages, biodiversity loss, or an increase in the use of chemical fertilizers.

A “Mini-Workshop on Climate Finance Needs and Access” has been animated by a representative of the UNFCCC Finance, Technology and Capacity Building Programme. The discussion and exchanges with UfM Member States representatives has allowed to get concrete feedback on the climate finance needs and challenges of the Mediterranean region that suffers first-hand the impacts of climate change.

In line with the strategy to support regional and international youth processes related to the Mediterranean region, the UfM Climate Week has hosted the second General Assembly meeting of the Mediterranean Youth Climate Network (MYCN). An assessment of the activities performed during 2017 as well as the presentation of the strategy and action plan for 2018 have been interalia the main topics tackled.

The UfM Climate Week has also been the opportunity focused on the scientific aspects of climate change impacts in the Mediterranean basin. MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change) has given an update on the scientific report to assess the impacts of environmental change in the region that they are currently preparing.

More information on the UfM Climate Change Expert Group: https://ufmsecretariat.org/ufm-climate-change-expert-group/

The UfM Climate Finance Study is available here:  https://ufmsecretariat.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UfM-Climate-Finance-Study.pdf

More information on MedECC: http://www.medecc.org/

More information on the Mediterranean Youth Climate Network: https://m.facebook.com/MYCNetwork/