The event organised by the Cyprus Institute entitled ‘Climate change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East: challenges and solutions’ will take place during two days in May 2018.

“At the conference, modelling predictions of climate change, its impacts especially in the areas of sustainability, health, security and migration will be presented and debated,” the organisers announced.

“Options for mitigating and especially for adapting to impending climate change in view of energy options, water security, sustainability and adaptation strategies will be explored.”

The Eastern Mediterranean Middle East region faces alarming consequences from climate change, according to data analyses and model predictions, and mitigation and adaptation measures are urgent.

“The region, home of nearly 500 million people of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, accounts for about 50% of the world fossil fuel reserves, and is troubled by persistent conflict,” the institute’s announcement added.

Abstracts for papers are being accepted until the end of March, and thus a final programme of the two-day conference on May 18 and 19 is not yet available.

There are also going to be pre-conference workshops on May 16 and 17, with the topics ‘Mediterranean and Middle East air pollution in a changing climate’ and ‘Agriculture and animal husbandry in a changing climate’.

For now, the organisers have drummed up an impressive list of committee members, both for the international advisory committee and the scientific programme committee.

Same of the members of the advisory committee are former French prime minister Laurent Fabius, Sustainable Solutions Network director Jeffrey Sachs, Joanna Dorothy Haigh from Imperial College London, Connie Hedegaard, former EU commissioner for climate action, Khaled Toukan, Jordan’s former minister for higher education and Cyprus’ Androulla Vasiliou, former EU commissioner for health, education, culture, multilingualism and youth.

For more information see www.climatechange2018.org or email climatechange2018@cyi.ac.cy

Source: Cyprus Mail