Open call for Mediterranean universities to endorse the Girona Manifesto, a new climate action initiative
7 July 2025, Barcelona. – An open call for universities across the Euro-Mediterranean region to step up their role in addressing the climate emergency has just been launched, coordinated by Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and UNIMED – Mediterranean Universities Union.
The Euromed University Initiative for Climate Action, set to be officially unveiled at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, invites higher education institutions to endorse a shared Manifesto for climate action. The initiative underscores the urgency of academic leadership, as the Mediterranean region faces accelerating impacts from climate change, warming 20% faster than the global average.
The call encourages universities to work together to scale up and coordinate their efforts. By joining the initiative, institutions commit to enhancing regional cooperation in climate education, embedding sustainability across curricula, empowering students to shape climate governance, and fostering green innovation through living labs, sustainable campuses and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The initiative aims to amplify the regional and global visibility of local action and position Mediterranean universities as key actors in the transition to a just, resilient and sustainable future.
Universities and other institutions working in the field of higher education and research are invited to endorse the Manifesto and join the Initiative. Endorsements should be submitted through an official expression of support from the institution’s leadership using the appropriate template and sending it by email to education@ufmsecretariat.org with the subject line: Manifesto Endorsement.
