This year marks the first time the conference is being held in Cyprus. The event is organised by the Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre of The Cyprus Institute, under the auspices of the Municipality of Limassol and the Department of Meteorology.

Climate change in the Mediterranean

During the opening ceremony, the President of The Cyprus Institute, Prof. Stavros Malas, delivered the welcoming speech. Prof. Malas highlighted that amidst a period of geopolitical uncertainty, climate change shouldn’t be dismissed from the regional priorities, as it constitutes one of the greatest long-term regional challenges. He emphasised that climate change needs addressing through research and international collaboration. He also referred to the role of The Cyprus Institute in developing climate research and promoting science diplomacy to strengthen regional cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

On behalf of the organising committee, Dr. George Zittis, Research Scientist at CARE-C, reflected on the importance of MedCLIVAR as a vital international scientific network contributing to a better understanding of climate change and its impacts across the Mediterranean. In particular, he underscored its crucial role for Cyprus and the wider region, an area already bearing the brunt of the climate crisis through more frequent and intense heatwaves, prolonged droughts, torrential rainfall, and flooding that heavily disrupt the environment, the economy, and society.