MEDAERE at COP29

Political borders and unions offer unparalleled opportunities for robust, systemic climate policy. The EU Green Deal, a suite of ambitious, largely binding, climate legislation is a prime example of this. However, they also artificially restrict the field of cooperation to within specific territories, a risky limitation in the face of notoriously cross-border climate impacts. The Mediterranean region is unique in on the one hand historically emerging from a rich shared history, and on the other hand today facing stark border divisions and conflicts within and between its sub-regions. In light of this, we see the need for system-wide disruption of climate governance in the Mediterranean to harness collective knowledge, better govern resources, and foster greater equity.

The Mediterranean region needs localised innovation to tackle the climate and natural resource crises and best build resilient communities. Scientific, educational, and governance cooperation can foster radical solutions that offer collective resilience and wellbeing…