Governing climate change in the Mediterranean : fragmentation in dialogue, markets and funds

Abstract

The article analyses the challenges of interregional cooperation for the two regional secretariats in the Mediterranean – the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean and the Secretariat of the Mediterranean Action Plan – in the policy fields of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Mediterranean climate governance is structured around complex governance arrangements, where multiple actors attempt to integrate the issue of climate change. However, the lack of financial commitments for long-term infrastructure investments and bilateral differentiation under the EU’s Neighbourhood Policy undermine region-wide cooperation. As a result, fragmentation in dialogue, markets and funds challenge the efforts of regional institutions in each climate sector and lead to variable governing outcomes.

KEY WORDS Climate Change Governance, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation, Southern Neighbourhood, Euro-Mediterranean relations, North Africa