Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change
The Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC) is an independent international network of scientists, founded in 2015, focusing specifically on climate and environmental changes
Overview of the project
MedECC aims to bridge the gap between research and decision-making, building a regional science-policy interface on climate and environmental change. By providing consolidated scientific assessments, it supports improved policies at national, regional, and local levels. MedECC’s reports address key climate and environmental issues and identify gaps in current research. Similar to the IPCC and IPBES, these assessments are written by a diverse group of experts from fields like climatology, environmental sciences, and social sciences, all contributing voluntarily their time and expertise, ensuring a broad, regional perspective. MedECC reports aim to maintain neutrality regarding policy and objectively address scientific, technical, and socio-economic factors relevant to the application of policies. The development process follows rigorous principles, including author selection, peer-review, and stakeholder consultation, ensuring scientific accuracy and policy relevance. MedECC collaborates with regional bodies like the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and UNEP MAP to align assessments with regional priorities. The reports provide actionable insights for decision-making, including a Summary for Policymakers (SPM) that distills key findings into accessible language. The development of the Reports involve several stages of drafting, an open and transparent review and revision process, and consultation with stakeholders to ensure scientific accuracy and robustness, as well as strong policy-relevance.
MedECC aims to provide policymakers and stakeholders with scientific assessments on climate change, its impacts, and future risks, as well as adaptation and mitigation strategies to support informed decision-making.
Published research
project still in progress
Over 300 experts from 35 countries have contributed to MedECC’s assessments. MedECC published the First Mediterranean Assessment Report (MAR1) in November 2020, with the Summary for Policymakers available in 9 languages. Three Special Reports on coastal risks, the climate-WEFE nexus, and the environmental change-conflict-human migration nexus will be released in 2024-2025. It contributed to key reports, including the IPCC Cross-Chapter on the Mediterranean, the SOED Report, and MED2050, strengthening the scientific basis for regional and global policy discussions.
MedECC brings together experts from various fields (climatology, environmental sciences, social sciences, etc.), fostering an interdisciplinary approach to climate and environmental challenges in the region. It collaborates with international, regional, and national bodies, such as UNEP MAP, the Union for the Mediterranean, with its Secretariat based at Plan Bleu since 2018. MedECC has contributed to broaden the knowledge base on regional environmental challenges. MedECC’s findings have been incorporated into key regional and international reports and has also informed discussions at high-level regional events including COP conferences.
Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) and its Regional Activity Center Plan Bleu through various fundings.
organisation
The Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC) is an independent international network of scientists, founded in 2015, focusing specifically on climate and environmental changes in the Mediterranean region. The objective of MedECC is to provide decision-makers, stakeholders, and citizens with assessments of available scientific knowledge on climate and environmental changes, including associated risks and social aspects. Its activities aim to shape evidence-based policies, support mitigation and adaptation actions, and foster regional cooperation through a science-policy interface. MedECC collaborates with key institutional and governmental bodies to ensure its findings guide policy decisions. Over 300 experts from 35 countries have contributed to its work.
Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) and its Regional Activity Center Plan Bleu through the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE), the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), the Principality of Monaco, the French Rhone Mediterranean Corsica water agency, the Mediterranean Trust Fund (MTF).