Summary:
Global warming is real. Observed trends during the last 100 years show increase in global average temperatures, rise of global average sea level and reductions in ice/snow cover. It is worth noting that the warmest years of the century took place during last decade. Analysis of climate models provides a consistent explanation and shows an increasing global temperature in response to increasing greenhouse gases. Human activities are most likely the main cause of the warming observed since the middle of the 20th century.
The effects of climate change include sea level rise, extreme weather events like heat waves, tsunamis and impacts in human health. Climate change affects all regions around the world. The impacts of climate change are expected to intensify in the coming decades.
Observations and future climate parameters analysis, show that several sectors have already been affected by climate change, while others are likely to be affected. The analysis of meteorological and other data in various regions of the planet shows that sectors like agriculture and fisheries will have serious negative impacts as a result of the climate change, mainly due to the occurrence of extreme weather events which will increase the risk of production and harvest damage. Energy sector is expected to be among the most affected sectors. Decreased precipitation and heat waves are expected to influence negatively the electricity demand and supply. Climate change will also affect infrastructure, tourism, water resources, and biodiversity.
Addressing climate change requires two types of response. The first one is mitigation (reduction of emissions) and the second one is the adaptation to climate change. Both are required to strengthen climate resilience and face the unavoidable impacts. The global community recognises the importance of the two policy axes and are considered together as priorities.
It is noteworthy that even if the target of limiting the average global temperature to 2oC above the pre-industrial level or even if Europe achieves to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, the catastrophic phenomena and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will gradually increase. Even if successful mitigation actions take place, the impacts of climate change will escalate in the coming decades, many regions and countries of the world will face very high temperatures and extreme weather events. Earth will have to face the impacts of climate change at least for the next fifty years.
Adaptation measures which aim to deal with the unavoidable climate impacts should be therefore taken. Adaptation action to climate change seeks to protect human and natural systems from effects caused by climate change and, in some cases, to take advantage from them.
The second chapter of diploma thesis, assess information for the observed changes worldwide in the climate system, which are temperature rise, melting ice and snow, sea-level rise, precipitation and extreme weather events. The relevant information was based on available bibliographic sources and especially on the IPCC’s Assessments Reports.
The third chapter describes the impacts of climate change in the most affected policy areas. The selection of the policy areas was based on the European Commission’s White Paper entitled "Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action" which was published in 2009. Each of the selected policy areas (water resources, soils, coastal areas, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, public health, energy, tourism, international security) is presented in a separate sub- chapter. For each policy area a literature review has been made on the observed and expected impacts of climate change worldwide and in Mediterranean area.
The diploma thesis analyses in fourth chapter the main policy aspects of Climate Change, which are the impacts and what policies and measures developed to reduce emissions? The international community, the European Union and each country are already facing the challenges of climate change. Coordinate action from the countries around the world is already taken to mitigate climate change, namely reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to implement adaptation measures to climate change for the present and future. The international and European policy framework for mitigation and adaptation to climate change are presented in this chapter. The European Climate Change Adaptation Strategy is also presented in this chapter.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is considered the main international agreement on climate action. Important International Agreements linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, are the Kyoto Protocol that was adopted in Kyoto, on 11 December 1997 and the Paris Agreement, which was adopted in Paris, on December 2015. The Paris Agreement is considered the most important international agreement as is the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate agreement. In EU level, the European Commission through targeted actions, initiatives, funding tools, coherent approach and improving coordination (i.e. development of Climate-ADAPT platform, introduction adaptation in the Covenant of Mayors framework), supports the Member States to develop their National Adaptation Strategies and encourage them to strengthen their preparedness and capacity to respond to the impacts to the climate change.
The thesis then focuses on climate change adaptation practices implemented by countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which is one of the most vulnerable areas in the world and is expected to experience the most adverse climate change effects compared to other European regions. The thesis describes implemented ad-hoc adaptation measures by the Eastern Mediterranean countries (Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel and Egypt) to strengthen their adaptability and to reduce problems caused by the effects of climate change. The thesis also attempts to present the key aspects of the National Adaptation Strategies for each country included in the study area.
The thesis concludes with a brief presentation of the current situation regarding the development and implementation of National Adaptation Strategies of the European and non European eastern Mediterranean countries. It also expresses some concerns, especially on current policy framework. General conclusions emerged from the research and writing process highlight the major topic of adaptation as one of the most critical ones for the future of the planet and should be addressed as such.
Keywords:
Climate Change, International Framework, European Policy, Adaptation Strategies, East Mediterranean
