Temperature rises in the Mediterranean are set to “exceed 2° C by 2040 and reach 2.3° C by 2050”, according to a forecast report by the Plan Bleu organization published ahead of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) to be held from June 9 to 13 in Nice, France
“What was predicted twenty years ago to happen by the end of the century will now happen mid-century, with consequences including drought, floods, land and sea heatwaves, etc., and a rise in sea level (of around 40 cm). This will result in problems for coasts and populations protection as early as the next few decades”, Plan Bleu warns in an alarming report on the accelerating deterioration of the Mediterranean and basins.
Themed “The Mediterranean by 2050 – MED 2050”, this large-scale participatory forecast study, which mobilized around one hundred experts over a four-year period, notes that “after the Arctic, the Mediterranean is the world’s fastest-warming region (20% more than anywhere else)”, but also “the most plastic-polluted sea, and the most overexploited in terms of fishing”, even though it represents “one of the world’s ten most important biodiversity hotspots”.
Experts insist on the urgent need to prepare for the risks of serious looming crises by “rapidly committing” to policies of climate change adaptation, resilience and prevention of irreversible repercussions.
MED 2050 is the third forecast carried out by Plan Bleu , created in 1977 as one of the key components of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) within the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report is intended to enlighten decision-makers and all stakeholders on the major challenges facing the region in the upcoming decades.
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