Brussels, 08/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete has underlined the breadth of the challenge of climate change both in the Mediterranean and in the world. “The Mediterranean countries are already suffering the harmful effects [of climate change]”, he said at the opening of an informal conference that took place in Skhirat (Morocco) under the aegis of the Union for the Mediterranean.
According to those organising the conference, the goal is “to contribute to the regional and national efforts to achieve the climate change objectives in the Mediterranean, thus paving the way for a global agreement at the UNFCCC COP 21, which will be held in Paris” at the end of the year.
In Canete's view, “scientists forecast that the multiple challenges of water scarcity, the rise in temperature [leading to] more frequent droughts, and desertification will increase in pace and make the region one of the weak spots” of the change underway. However, this “challenge (…) also offers new opportunities” and can “make our societies and our economies stronger”.
Canete says that the Mediterranean is fortunate to be able “to exploit its rich possibilities in renewable energy sources and its energy efficiency potential” in order to address this challenge. The region would thus be “well-placed to reap the benefits of a transition” towards low carbon consumption. To achieve this, Canete is counting on the close collaboration offered under the UfM, which has 43 member countries including 28 EU states.
Speaking about the conference itself, which has the objective of “preparing the contribution [of the Euro-Mediterranean area countries] to the new agreement” that is hoped for in Paris, Canete said that the EU “was the first big economy to put forward its contribution in early March” and “only a handful of countries - including the USA, Russia, Mexico and Gabon - have made observations”. Other contributions “are expected in the coming months” in order to “enable the partners to design and conclude a robust and dynamic agreement, capable of keeping the global temperature rise to below 2 Celsius”.
On the sidelines of the conference, 24 local authority representatives from six countries signed a Mayors' Convention for mayors committed to fighting the effects of climate change. (Fathi B'Chir)