Climate and Energy Policy in the Mediterranean

Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs

World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economists

Istanbul Technical University June 29, 2014

• CLIMATOLOGY

• CLIMATE IMPACTS

• MITIGATION

• ADAPTATION

• REGIONAL POLICY

The 21 Countries of the Mediterranean BasinWith a Combined Population of around 540 Million

BWh = Hot desert; Csa = Mediterranean (mild wet winter, hot dry summer)

The Mediterranean Climate Zones

DAI,2010

HOERLING, ET AL., “ON THE INCREASED FREQUENCY OF MEDITERRANEAN DROUGHT,”2012

TANASIJEVIC ET AL., 2014

THE END OF RAINFED OLIVE PRODUCTION N PARTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

TANASIJEVIC, 2014

GIORGI AND LIONELLI, 2008

GIORGI AND LIONELLI, 2008

SEAGER ET AL., 2014, “CAUSES OF ARIDIFICATION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION IN RESPONSE TO RISING GREENHOUSE GASES”

“MID-LATITUDE JETS AND STORM TRACKS SHIFT POLEWARD AND THE HADLEY CELL EXPANDS, CAUSING EXPANSION OF SUB-TROPICAL DRY ZONES”

SOME POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS:

MORE FREQUENT AND INTENSE DROUGHT CONDITIONS

MORE EXTREME STORMS AND FLOODING

LOSS OF HYDROELECTRIC POWER, DRINKING WATER, AND WATER QUALITY IN DRY SEASONS (TERRADO ET AL., 2014)

LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

REDUCTION OF RIVER FLOW (E.G. NILE, TIGRIS, EUPHRATES)

REDUCTION OF BIOMASS OF MEDITERRANEAN SEA

POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT

ACSAD, 2011

ACSAD,“Case Study:Drought in Syria”

SYRIAN SETTLEMENTS ABANDONED TO DROUGHT

SYRIA

REGIONAL MANAGEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE

Renewable Energy Grid Concept for Europe, Middle East, and North Africa

The Sustainable Development Solutions Networkoperates under the auspices of UN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon, and engages scientists, engineers, business and civil society leaders, and development practitioners for evidence-based problem solving. It promotes solution initiatives that demonstrate the potential of technical and business innovation to support sustainable development (www.unsdsn.org)

SDSN-Mediterranean is hosted by University of Siena

REGIONAL STRATEGY:

ASSESSMENT OF RISKS

RESILIENCY: AGRICULTURE, COASTS, TOURISM, PUBLIC HEALTH

REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

WATER POLICY

ENERGY POLICY

CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS

REGIONAL FINANCING AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT