The preliminary results of the 1st Mediterranean Assessment Report (MAR1) prepared by the MedECC have been presented during the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) during the side-event co-organised by Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and Cyprus: “A science-policy interface on risks of climate and environmental change in the Mediterranean region and Middle East”. This side event has held on Thursday, 12 December (14h30-16h) in the EU Pavilon.
During this event, the current state and risks related to climate and environmental change the Mediterranean were discussed by scientists and decision-makers. First of all, the MedECC was introduced by Mr. Arnault Graves (UfM), who is a member of the MedECC Steering Committee. Secondly, an overview of preliminary results of the first-ever comprehensive scientific report on the impact of climate and environmental change in the Mediterranean region developed by MedECC was presented by Dr Sanz-Cobena and Dr Moran-Ordonez who are the Lead Authors of the MedECC report (MAR1). Then, and complementary to this approach, the Cyprus Climate Change Initiative aiming at the development of a Regional Action Plan to address the specific needs and challenges, countries are facing in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region, addressed the impact of climate change and advance mitigation actions in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
The Union for the Mediterranean is an observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and participates at UNFCCC meetings with the objective of bringing the voice of the Mediterranean Climate Agenda to international fora. At COP25, the UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel intervened during the high-level segment in order to highlight the opportunities to be seized in the region while contributing to the sustainable development of the Mediterranean.
Interview with Alejandra Moran Ordonez, Catalonian TV (in Spanish, starting at 8min30)
Interview with Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Climatica, 12 December 2019 (in Spanish)