1.1 Lesson Session of Legal and Policy Frameworks Addressing Climate Change – Specific Policy Frameworks in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean Sea has one of the most developed regional legal and policy frameworks in the world. It leads by example in terms of cross-border and regional cooperation, particularly in terms of climate policy, and is one of the most advanced systems in UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme. This sustained collaboration is the result of a fast-warming region and the multiplying impacts of climate change, which create the need for a solid Mediterranean legal and policy framework for climate change adaptation. 

This lecture will focus on painting a clear picture of the legal and policy instruments which make up this framework. It will start with a brief overview of the UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention system and its institutional set-up, before explaining the main instruments related to climate change adaptation. It will touch on what general instruments are relevant to adaptation, as well as the more specific Regional Climate Change Adaptation Framework. Finally, it will address the new mandate of CC/RAC and the interaction with the relevant EU climate policy. 

The session will also provide a look into the importance of international and regional regulation in guiding the action of policymakers at all levels, and its impact on local adaptation measures. Finally, it will highlight some key legal challenges, in order to provide students with a nuanced overview of the Mediterranean system.