Filenews 17 September 2021
A declaration on climate change and the environment in the Mediterranean was adopted by the 9 Mediterranean countries, whose leaders are in Athens and specifically at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, within the framework of the Summit of the Mediterranean countries of the European Union now called EUMED 9, as Croatia and Slovenia participate.
In the Declaration, the leaders of the Mediterranean countries underline their common and strong conviction that urgent and ambitious global action – at national, regional and local levels, and involving all stakeholders, in particular civil society and the private sector – is now, more than ever, necessary to address the escalating climate and environmental crisis and to create a safe prosperous one; a fair and sustainable future for our societies in the 21st century, based on circular economy standards.
It is noted that the declaration is signed by France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia.
Climate change
- Reiterate their firm commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and to the objective of limiting a global temperature increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as well as their commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, in line with European climate law and the EU's target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030; from 1990 levels.
- They take into account with concern the report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, published on 9 August 2021, which underlines that immediate and enhanced action to halt climate change and limit the increase in global temperature by 1.5°C in relation to pre-industrial levels is necessary.
- They recall the UN Secretary-General's Statement of 9 August 2021 regarding the imminent risk of the planet reaching 1.5 degrees in the near future. The only way to avoid exceeding this limit is to urgently step up our efforts and take a more ambitious path, actively responding to its call to limit the rise in temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius.
- They express their appreciation for the work of the Italian Presidency of the G20 in strengthening the relevant global ambition and welcome the results of the Ministerial Meeting on Climate and Energy in Naples.
- They recognise that the Mediterranean is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as it is prone to extreme weather events, and is already experiencing more extensive, frequent and more intense heat waves, droughts, heavy rainfall, floods and forest fires. As a result, the area is now suffering unprecedented ecological damage and the response potential is reaching its limits.
- They underline that this vulnerability is set to increase due to the accelerating effects of climate change on the region, with negative economic impacts and losses, both now and in the future. In this regard, these impacts and climate cohesion must be taken into account when developing and implementing EU climate and energy policies, and properly addressed and recognised to ensure that our countries are not disadvantaged, in the context of a changing climate.
- Recognise the need for decisive adaptation and resilience policies, in line with the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change and for preventive measures in all sectors that are expected to be significantly affected by climate change in the Mediterranean region – including the environmental and socio-economic sectors – in a cross-sectoral way, as the impacts of climate change pose serious risks to the environment; society and the economy.
- Agree to intensify multilateral cooperation through the exchange of experiences and best practices in designing and implementing the necessary adaptation policies and prevention measures to minimise risks at national, regional and local level, involving all stakeholders, including the main public authorities, civil society and businesses.
- They underline the need to engage in active dialogue and to promote joint initiatives and responses with all Mediterranean states, adopting a regional approach to the climate crisis, in line with EU action.
- They commit to meeting the objectives of the European Green Deal and promoting related legislative adaptations as part of the "Fit for 55" package.
- They point to the need to examine the following principles throughout the negotiations on this package: ensuring decarbonisation, social justice and technological neutrality, supporting innovation and industrial transitions, taking into account the efforts made so far.
- Support the principle of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which serves as a climate measure that effectively mitigates the risks of carbon leakage, while fully complying with WTO rules.
- They are committed to work towards the protection of the cultural and natural heritage of the Mediterranean, which is threatened by the effects of climate change, by taking active action and supporting the initiative "Addressing the impact of climate change on cultural and natural heritage" launched by Greece at the 2019 Climate Action Summit and recognised by the UN Secretary-General, and in which UNESCO, the WMO and the UNFCCC are fully involved. In this context, they agree to participate in a pilot project for the protection of cultural and natural heritage, which is currently being worked out.
- Highlight the need to take the necessary actions for the immediate and rapid alignment of public and private investment flows with the low greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience policy, in order to accelerate the development of environmentally friendly, low-carbon infrastructure.
- Recognise the need for future coordinated actions to address the weaknesses caused by the limited connectivity between the Mediterranean and continental Europe.
- Agree to work closely together to build synergies to promote the necessary transition from fossil fuels to renewables and low-carbon technologies, through meaningful public participation in their design and development with the utmost attention to natural ecosystems.
- They agree to play an active role in communicating at a global level the particular climate sensitivities of the Mediterranean region, underlining the importance of the Ocean-Climate relationship and the need for climate action.
- Agree to promote solutions for adaptation to climate change based on the very functioning of nature and to ensure adequate protection in particular of ecosystems that are critical to preventing disasters, such as coastal zones, water basins, wetlands, forests and urban areas.
- Recognise the fundamental role of the ocean in sustaining life on Earth and the significant pressures it is under, inter alia, due to climate change. They agree on the need to strengthen actions to preserve and protect the ocean and commit to protecting at least 30% of the world's ocean by 2030, as well as to enhance ocean-friendly adaptation.
- Recognise the effects of climate change by reducing runoff and renewing aquifers, which, together with higher demand, are expected to lead to increased water scarcity, especially in southern and eastern regions that already have limited water deposits, with an increasing number of populations threatened with water shortages.
- In view of the UNFCCC COP26, they underline the need for all parties to adopt more ambitious targets, in a coherent and balanced way, and to commit to their implementation, and to work within the EU but also with third parties, with a view to achieving the most ambitious outcome at COP26, in line with the EU's Fit for 55 package.
- They stress, once again, that the climate crisis is a global threat that requires coordinated global action, and therefore appeal to all countries to act collectively and without further delay, as stated by the UN Secretary-General on August 9th.
- In this regard, they call on all international partners, in particular the G20 countries, to ratify the Paris Agreement and to increase their level of ambition by announcing ambitious National Adjustment Programmes (NDCs).
- They recognise our commitment to the rapid development of technologies and policies that further accelerate the move away from an unabated carbon potential.
- Invite all countries to participate in the UNFCCC COP26 at the level of Heads of State or Government and to commit to the objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
Biodiversity
- Recognise that the only centre for marine biodiversity and the endemism of the Mediterranean region is threatened by the loss and degradation of habitats, which is further exacerbated by the effects of climate change.
- They stress the need for urgent action to address the long-term impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems in the region and, therefore, the need for the necessary transformation to relaunch biodiversity by 2030, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.
- Commit to take action to enlarge and better manage the EU network of protected areas, contributing to the objective of protecting 30% of the EU's land and sea by 2030, one third of them under strict protection, through collective action by all countries participating in this joint effort; taking into account national circumstances.
- Consider the integration of biodiversity into all sectoral policies as a prerequisite for a green and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- They are committed to leading by example in tackling the global biodiversity crisis and, in view of CBD COP-15, to work towards the development of an ambitious post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Agree to work together to develop strong and effective implementation mechanisms and harmonised monitoring, reporting and evaluation frameworks for biodiversity.
- Recognise the importance of the results of the Conference of the International Union for the Protection of Nature (IUCN) held in Marseille in September 2021, which recognises that climate and biodiversity emergencies are not distinct, but two aspects of the same crisis, which require mutual intensification of actions and aim to highlight nature protection as a top global priority and lay the foundations for a global military a strategy for biodiversity, which is urgently needed for the healthy functioning of ecosystems and for humanity.
Forests
-Recognize the adverse long-term effects of forest fires on biodiversity and ecosystems in the Mediterranean region, which endanger species, alter the hydrological and geomorphological characteristics of watersheds and increase soil quality degradation, including severe erosion.
- They agree that forest management should be based on the diversification of species and their places of origin, adapting to future climatic conditions and diversifying forest and static structures.
- Recall the importance of subjecting primary and perennial forests to strict protection.
- Recognise the whole importance and important role of ecosystem services and green infrastructure and the key role of forests in water management and the carbon life cycle and climate change mitigation.
- They stress the need to further promote sustainable forest management, strengthening the multifunctional role of forest ecosystems and ensuring their protection and restoration by creating effective mechanisms for this purpose. In addition, they stress the need to implement appropriate reforestation projects and, in this regard, commit to take actions to increase the quantity, quality and resilience of forests, including the commitment to contribute to the planting of at least 3 billion additional trees in the EU by 2030, in full respect of ecology principles.
- Agree on the need for urgent, coordinated, integrated and coherent policy responses aimed at adapting forests to climate change.
- They recognise, in this regard, that the Renewed EU Strategy on Forests, adopted by the Commission in July 2021, can support regional and national actions.
- They commit to invest the necessary resources, to make use of the best available scientific methods and techniques and to mobilise societies in order to plan the cleaning of forests, to create firebreaks and to develop all effective national and local forest fire prevention measures, using IT and digital economy tools.
- Agree to start drawing up community-wide plans and to implement risk management principles, based on scientific knowledge on ecosystems, with the aim of preventing risks from climate threats, sharing experiences and cooperating on risk reduction measures.
- Encourage the exchange of know-how and experience for the recovery and restoration of ecosystems in deprived areas, inside and outside protected areas, and the undertaking of initiatives that contribute to the connectivity of ecosystems.
- Support the strategic role of forests and the forest sector in finding solutions to increase the sustainable use of timber products, to replace other materials that cause severe emissions.
- Agree to promote solutions for adapting and mitigating the effects of climate change that are compatible with the natural environment and to ensure the benefits of biodiversity, as well as adequate protection, in particular of ecosystems that are critical to preventing natural disasters, such as coastal zones, river basins, wetlands and forests.
- Beyond Mediterranean forests, they stress the need to tackle imported deforestation and global forest degradation through a new legislative initiative at EU level.
Marine environment / Blue economy
- Recognise the role of a sustainable Blue Economy in achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal in the Mediterranean, including through investment in innovative green technologies and through further promoting the principles of the circular economy.
- Agree to promote EU blue economy standards with a view to making them circular and reducing the environmental, climate and energy footprint of all relevant offshore and land/coastal activities with particular attention to reducing plastic pollution.
- Underline the need to promote a strong EU policy framework to support the development of the blue economy and a more integrated maritime policy.
- Underline that a fundamental component of a sustainable Blue Economy is Maritime Spatial Planning, as an important political and legal instrument for the coherent management of maritime space, facilitating synergies between the economic sectors of the blue economy, while ensuring the protection of the environment and the sustainable use of marine resources.
- Recognise the added value and complementarity with the existing institutional frameworks for the protection and sustainable development of the Mediterranean, the "Mediterranean an exemplary sea by 2030" initiative and the related Action Plan, with ambitious themes envisaged.
- Invite all countries to actively participate, at the highest possible level, in the 2nd UN Ocean Conference, to be held in Lisbon in 2022 (27 June – 1 July), in order to ensure that political commitment and practical action is strengthened, at global level, to achieve SDG 14.
- Strongly support the designation of the Mediterranean as a Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA), as of 1 March 2024.
Civil Protection, prevention and preparedness
-They acknowledge that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism provides a framework for cooperation and assistance in cases of large-scale emergency, which exceed the capabilities of the affected Member States, and stress the importance of ensuring and further supporting the Mechanism with institutional, financial and operational means.
- They call for the full implementation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the substantial reinforcement of RescEU's instruments in the Mediterranean, also taking into account the existing capacities and infrastructures of the Member States, with a view to creating a European reserve force. They call for the acceleration of the deployment of a fleet of fire brigades or others
Aeroplanes and helicopters and the enhancement of air evacuation capacities (MEDEVAC), with the aim of protecting European citizens and the natural environment from increasingly serious and complex disasters, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, epidemics, as well as investments in capacity building for disaster prevention and response.
- Stress the urgency of strengthening and deepening cooperation between Mediterranean partners, given that challenges related to natural disasters have a common profile, are often cross-border and require initiatives to exchange specific, lessons learned, best practices, instruments and expertise.
- In the light of the above, while respecting existing regional agreements, we agree to further expand the work of the EU's Southern Group of Countries by organising sectoral meetings, at all levels, as appropriate, in a flexible and informal framework, with the aim of facilitating effective coordination and exchanges between the nine Partners.
