Amman, June 3 (Petra) – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has
called for accelerating climate action across the Mediterranean basin
ahead of World Environment Day, warning that the region remains one
of the world’s most vulnerable climate hotspots.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the UfM said temperatures in the
Mediterranean are rising approximately 20 percent faster than the
global average, with regional warming already surpassing 1.5 degrees
Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to findings by the
Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC)
network, which is supported by the Union.

The organization warned that climate change has become a significant
threat multiplier, intensifying the social, economic, and
environmental challenges facing more than 510 million people across
the region and increasing their exposure to extreme heat, prolonged
droughts, wildfires, and flash floods.

The statement stressed that current mitigation and adaptation efforts
remain insufficient to secure a sustainable future, while
highlighting the green transition as a key opportunity to strengthen
regional resilience, particularly through expanding renewable energy
integration and cross-border electricity exchange across the
Mediterranean.

According to the UfM, the 2025 Regional Integration Report, prepared
jointly with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD), identified enhanced connectivity and renewable
energy exchange between the northern and southern shores of the
Mediterranean as among the most promising areas for regional
cooperation.

The Union cited MedECC assessments showing that densely populated
coastal zones face mounting risks from sea-level rise, coastal
erosion, and the salinization of soil and groundwater resources,
developments that threaten food security and the livelihoods of
millions of people.

It added that water stress has become a reality across all countries
of the southern and eastern Mediterranean, with water demand
projected to double or even triple by 2050. If current climate trends
persist, the Union warned, as many as 20 million people could face
permanent displacement by the end of the century.

The statement underscored that achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals requires broad behavioral and structural changes aimed at
reducing energy consumption, alongside greater adoption of innovative
solutions, particularly renewable energy technologies. It also
highlighted the environmental and economic benefits of renewable
energy trade across the Mediterranean, while stressing the need for
continued investment in the infrastructure required to connect local
and regional energy networks.

UfM Assistant Secretary-General for Stability and Resilience Joan
Borrell Mayeur said there is no room for delay in addressing the
climate crisis, stressing that climate awareness must be translated
into tangible action through stronger regional integration and
expanded energy interconnectivity.

He said deeper cooperation among Mediterranean countries would help
reduce dependence on external actors while strengthening the region’s
capacity to confront climate-related challenges.

In a related development, the Union announced preparations for the
fourth edition of the Mediterranean Pavilion at the 31st United
Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to take place in
Turkey next November. The event will mark the first United Nations
climate conference hosted by a Mediterranean country.

The Mediterranean Pavilion is expected to bring together government
representatives, experts, private-sector stakeholders, and civil
society organizations to showcase regional climate initiatives,
advance sustainable development efforts, and strengthen the
visibility of Mediterranean priorities on the global climate agenda.
The initiative also aims to promote a unified Mediterranean position
in international climate negotiations and policy processes.

//Petra// AJ