Preparation workshop ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference
The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) will be held in Nice in June 2025, under the co-presided of France and Costa Rica. At the occasion of this major international event, the Coalition of World Coastal Cities and Territories will be launched, led by Christian Estrosi, Mayor and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. As part of its contribution, AVITEM, French cooperation agency dedicated to a strategic area for the Mediterranean area, has initiated a dynamic process of co-construction and exchange through a series of workshops. These workshops address the challenges of coastal resilience and the risks faced by Mediterranean territories. Bringing together territorial planners, management experts, local actors, researchers, students, and civil society representatives, the events aim to:- Raise awareness among Mediterranean stakeholders about the urgency of climate action.
- Accelerate public policies on climate mitigation and adaptation.
- Develop a collective Mediterranean roadmap to be presented at the UNOC 3 Congress, focusing on actionable solutions for coastal resilience.
A Structured Approach to Strengthen Mediterranean Resilience
The October 17, a workshop focused on coastal risks and resilience processes in all their dimensions: knowledge, strategy and operational solutions, governance and financing. Two scales were examined: the Metropolis of Alexandria as a case study, and the Mediterranean as a whole.
MedECC actively participated in the workshop, contributing its scientific expertise on climate change and environmental coastal risks. Mohamed Abdrabo, Emeritus professor of environmental economics and Director of Alexandria Research Centre for Adaptation to Climate Change (ARCA) at Alexandria University, presented the key findings of the ongoing Special Report on Climate and environmental coastal risks in the Mediterranean presented, for which he is a Coordinating Lead Author.
The workshop involved a network of expert partners, inlcuding the MedECC as well as the Intermediterranean Commission (CIM-CRPM), the Institute for Research and Development (IRD), MedCités, the Mediterranean Institute of Water (IME), Plan Bleu, SEA’TIES – Ocean Climate Platform, the universities involved in the Mélimed project, the Water Solidarity Program (ps-Eau).
