On October 15, 2020, The Cyprus Institute organized a webinar on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate Change Initiative (EMME-CCI). This Initiative builds upon the work that led to the International Conference held in Cyprus, in May 2018, which focused on “Climate Change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East”.

The webinar organized at CyI’s premises in Aglantzia, within the framework of the Cyprus Government Initiative, provided the opportunity to the thematic Task Forces assembled to present and discuss their preliminary findings. During this event, eleven of the thirteen Task Forces presented their findings whereas members of all Task Forces participated. More than half of all members of the Task Forces from twenty countries, representatives from international organizations, as well as the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Dr Costas Kadis participated at this online event.

The EMME-CCI aims at the development of a Regional Action Plan to address the specific needs and challenges countries are facing in the EMME region, to address and ameliorate the impact of climate change and advance mitigation actions in accordance with the Paris Agreement. To achieve the objective of the Initiative, thirteen Task Forces of various scientific foci have been established, all under the coordination of The Cyprus Institute and specifically the leadership of Prof Costas N. Papanicolas, the Advisor and Special Envoy on Climate Change to the President of Cyprus.

The Cyprus Government Initiative was presented by President Nicos Anastasiades to several of his counterparts in the context of bilateral and trilateral meetings, as well as to all EMME Ambassadors in Nicosia by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Dr Costas Kadis, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Nikos Christodoulides. The Initiative has universally received positive reaction and has been communicated to stakeholders such as the EU, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Meteorological Organization.