Welcome to the Plenary Consultation on the draft Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the Special Report
Interlinking climate change with water - energy - food - ecosystems (WEFE) nexus in the Mediterranean Basin
elaborated by the network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC)
The objective of this consultation is to ensure that the findings of the MedECC Special Report, particularly those presented in the SPM, are fully comprehensible, unambiguous, and well-integrated with stakeholder feedback.
Practical Information, Program and Documents
Context: about MedECC and this Special Report
The Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC) is an open and independent international scientific expert network founded in 2015 to provide support to decision-makers, stakeholders, and the general public with the best available scientific knowledge on climate and environmental change and the current and future associated risks in the Mediterranean Basin. All scientific members contribute in their individual capacity and without financial compensation. MedECC scientists are based in 35 countries, including 19 countries registered as Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention). In November 2020, MedECC published the report on climate and environmental change in the Mediterranean (First Mediterranean Assessment Report, MAR1).
The MedECC Special Report on “Interlinking climate change with water – energy – food – ecosystems (WEFE) nexus in the Mediterranean Basin” responds to the MedECC Steering Committee‘s decision to produce three Special Reports focusing on specific issues identified after the publication of the First Mediterranean Assessment Report (MAR1, November 2020), while considering suggestions from government representatives and stakeholders.
This Special Report aims to identify and assess the impact of environmental and climate change on the WEFE nexus in the Mediterranean Basin, related risks, adaptation options and solutions across five chapters. It comprises the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) composed of headline statements and a high-level summary and narrative of the primary findings from the comprehensive scientific report.
Process overview
The Special Report was collaboratively prepared by 60 experts and scientists, from 15 countries, selected and approved by the MedECC Steering Committee, based on their expertise, country, and gender balance. These authors contribute on a voluntary basis without any economic compensation. The outline was developed during a Scoping Meeting where experts and scientists were consulted alongside governmental representatives and stakeholders. The framework and outline were finally reviewed and approved by the MedECC Steering Committee. An internal draft (Zero Order Draft – ZOD) underwent internal review in March and April 2023 resulting in 479 comments from 15 reviewers.
The First Order Draft, which integrated review comments, underwent external peer-review from July to September 2023. At the same time, the draft SPM underwent broad consultation with governments, decision-makers, and stakeholders. As a result of this external review and consultation process, the longer report received 820 comments, while the SPM received 247 comments. Authors addressed all received comments to refine the final draft between October 2023 and March 2024.
The stakeholder consultation on the SPM concludes during the online plenary consultation on April 29, 2024. The approval process for MedECC SPMs is a crucial step in ensuring the accuracy, clarity, and scientific robustness of these summaries. The Plenary Consultation process aims to strengthen the SPM by ensuring that its statements are direct, clear, and unambiguous. This enhances the accessibility and usefulness of the SPM for stakeholders.
The plenary consultation plays a crucial role in enhancing the accessibility, clarity, and scientific robustness of the SPM. We extend our gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions and commitment to this endeavor. The MedECC coordinators are very grateful for the expertise, rigour and dedication shown by the volunteer Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors, working across scientific disciplines in each chapter of the report, with essential help by the many Contributing Authors. MedECC Authors and Coordinators want to thank all reviewers for their time and effort.
