The Ministers of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in charge of Energy gathered for their Third Ministerial Conference on Energy in Lisbon on 14 June 2021. Energy Ministers from the 42 UfM Member States met to discuss regional cooperation towards energy security and a low-carbon transition. With a population of over 500 million inhabitants and growing, it is estimated that energy demand in the region will increase by more than 50% by 2040. Ministers adopted a new Ministerial Declaration, which will be developed into concrete action plans by the three UfM Energy Platforms, which act as fora for dialogue… read more
4 May 2021. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, held an online meeting with PEGASUS founder, chairman & CEO, Craig Cogut, and with Christophe Nuttall, the Executive Director of R20, a not-for-profit international organization that works to create inclusive, resilient, and low-carbon societies by accelerating sub-national infrastructure investments in the green economy with the goal of contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following the development of the Global “Subnational Climate Fund” (SCF), recently approved by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and in accordance with the UfM-R20 cooperation agreement, it has been decided that a similar SCF fund should be… read more
4 May 2021. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, held an online meeting with BNP Paribas Senior Strategic Advisor for Sustainable Business, Pierre Rousseau, and the Executive Director of R20, Christophe Nuttall. R20 is a not-for-profit international organization that works to create inclusive, resilient, and low-carbon societies by accelerating sub-national infrastructure investments in the green economy, with the goal of contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They discussed the opportunity to develop the “Subnational Climate Fund” (SCF) recently approved by the Green Climate Fund and managed by Pegasus Capital Advisor. BNP Paribas is custodian and the lead agent for… read more
The Mediterranean is one of the regions hardest hit by climate change in the world, with temperatures rising 20% faster here than elsewhere, according to a study by the Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC). The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) promotes the Solar Impulse Foundation’s 1000+ solutions to protect the environment in a financially-profitable way. The UfM is partnering with R20 – Regions of Climate Action to deliver the first regional fund specifically supporting climate projects in coastal Mediterranean areas. 22 April 2021. The Mediterranean is one of the areas of Earth most impacted by climate change,… read more
19th March 2021 – The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, and the President of Plan Bleu, Thierry Lavoux, virtually met today to officialize the signature of the 2nd phase of their Cooperation Agreement towards a sustainable development in the Mediterranean basin. As part of the agreement, both parties will jointly support and promote the efforts of the scientific network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC). This new Cooperation Agreement guarantees the continuity and future of the MedECC Secretariat, hosted under the hospice of Plan Bleu. The Secretary General stated that, as part… read more
Calls for applications: 3rd edition of the Mediterranean Climate Change Adaptation Trophies Following the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement, ADEME, the French Agency for Ecological Transition, in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean and Plan Bleu, is announcing the launch of the 3rd edition of the Mediterranean Climate Change Adaptation Awards. Adapting to climate change: a priority for the Mediterranean region The Mediterranean basin, with its 500 million inhabitants, is the second-most impacted area by climate change after the Arctic, as shown in the recent MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change) report. Temperatures in this climate… read more
The UfM seeks to mobilize its member states, partners and public and private sector in support of the Action Plan for an Exemplary Mediterranean 2030 to achieve the protection target of 30% of the planet’s surface areas. 11 January 2021, Paris. The fourth One Planet Summit brought together Heads of State and Government and decision-makers to speed up international action for nature. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, joined the event and reiterated UfM’s commitment to the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, to continue to collaborate actively to the concretization of the Action Plan for Exemplary Mediterranean by 2030. The primary goal of the One planet… read more
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is promoting the expansion of renewable energy in Egypt by supporting one of the first green private-to-private projects in the country, a 6 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant located at Dina Farms in the Beheira governorate, 80 km from the Egyptian capital Cairo. This is the EBRD’s first project in Egypt under the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Private Renewable Energy Framework (SPREF), which falls under the umbrella of the UfM Regional Dialogue Platform on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, created to promote the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. With an initial… read more
Read the stories of three local champions in the fight against climate change, in the framework of the UfM-supported project Clima-Med. 31 July 2020. Born and raised in Beirut, Marwan Kaiss is the Mayor of the Batloun Municipality in the Chouf area, 45km inland from Lebanon’s bustling capital city. Passionate about preparing Lebanon for the future, he returned to university at 53 years old and completed his Masters at the age of 60 and was then elected to his current position. Despite challenging circumstances, much of his time in public office has been at the forefront of a burgeoning local… read more
The 2020 UfM Mediterranean Climate Week discussed, among other topics, the progress of international public and private climate finance flows and how to optimise their mobilisation. Under the current scenarios, Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries per capita energy demand is estimated to increase by about 60% by 2040. These countries have attracted 9% of the international public climate finance commitments each year. Considering these countries are representing 4.1% of the global population, it shows the region attracts a high flow of investment. 14 July 2020. The limit of a 1.5ºC increase in the average temperature, not to be surpassed as… read more
