The Cyprus Government Initiative for Coordinating Climate Change Actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) aims at the development of a Regional Action Plan to address the specific needs and challenges countries are facing in the EMME region, to address and ameliorate the impact of climate change and advance mitigation actions in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

The Initiative was established following the 1st International Conference “Climate Change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East: Challenges & Solutions”, organized by the Cyprus Institute in 2018 in Nicosia and attended by eminent scientists and policy makers from thirty countries as well as leaders of global stature. The principal conclusion of the Conference was that regional concerted climate action is urgently needed. This led to the Cyprus Government’s Initiative for Coordinating Climate Change Actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME), which was launched by H.E. President Anastasiades in March 2019.

To achieve the objective of developing a Regional Action Plan on Climate Action Coordination, a detailed work programme for the Initiative has been developed, consisting of two distinct components: a scientific and an intergovernmental component.

The intergovernmental component is coordinated by the Cyprus Government, whilst the scientific component of the Initiative has been assigned and will be coordinated by the Cyprus Institute. In line with that, the Cyprus Institute has coordinated the establishment of up to 13 Regional Task Forces, with the following scientific focus areas (or a combination thereof):

1. The Scientific Basis: Temperature and Water Projections, Extreme Weather Events etc.
2. Energy Systems
3. Built Environment
4. Health
5. Water resources
6. Agroforestry and Food Chain
7. Marine Environment/Resources
8. Education and Outreach
9. Migration
10. Tourism
11. Enabling Technologies (monitoring, digitization, remote sensing, etc)
12. Development of Green Economy and Innovation in the Region
13. Cultural Heritage

Comprised of up to fifteen prominent scientists with expertise in the relevant topic in the EMME region, the Task Forces will focus on collecting existing knowledge, in order to assess the situation, identify gaps in research and policy needs and provide a “toolkit” of possible actions to address the climate challenges in the region. In this regard, the Task Forces will be mandated to produce Thematic Reports (“White Papers”) in their respective areas of scientific focus. Input from the Task Forces will feed into a Comprehensive Scientific Report that will contain an overarching conclusion, as well as technologically matured and economically affordable solutions for addressing the impacts of climate change in different socioeconomic sectors.

The Comprehensive Scientific Report will be finalized in December 2021, following debate in the context of the 2^nd International Conference “Climate Change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East: Challenges & Solutions that will take place in Nicosia between the 13^th and 14^th of October 2021.  This will serve as the foundation for the development of the Regional Action Plan, subject to the approval of the participating Governments of the EMME region, following thorough consultations on a multilateral level.

For more information on the Initiative please refer to its official Work Programme.