Nicosia: HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal delivered a keynote address at the international conference “Climate Action in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East: Regional Cooperation Empowered by Science and Innovation,” in the Cypriot capital, Nicosia.
According to Jordan News Agency, the conference brought together international leaders, decision-makers, scientists, and experts. It was held amidst highly complex regional and international circumstances, where the repercussions of climate change intersect with political and humanitarian crises in a region considered one of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change that requires collective responses based on science and cross-border cooperation.
In his address, Prince Hassan said the climate crisis is no longer a mere environmental issue, but has become fundamentally a matter of human security. The challenges facing the region, from water scarcity and rising temperatures to the deterioration of food and health systems, are exacerbated by ongoing conflicts, threatening economic and social stability, he said.
Prince El Hassan said the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region, which historically formed a shared cultural space, known as Mare Nostrum, is under an unprecedented accumulation of climatic and humanitarian pressures. He stressed that addressing these challenges in isolation is no longer viable, and that what is needed is integrated thinking based on collective responsibility.
In this context, he pointed out that what is happening in the Gaza Strip is a stark example of the collapse of water, energy, and food systems and ecosystems as a result of the systematic targeting of vital infrastructure. He warned that the effects of armed conflicts are no longer limited to the humanitarian aspect, but extend to constitute a global climate cost.
Prince El Hassan said instability in the Eastern Mediterranean has become a regional reality, citing World Bank estimates indicating that the outlook for 2025 remains highly uncertain due to conflicts and extreme weather events.
He reviewed United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) data indicating that about 95 million people, including 45 million children, face life-threatening risks due to a widening development funding gap.
He also highlighted the contradiction between the growing funding gap for the Sustainable Development Goals, exceeding $4.2 trillion annually, and the continuous rise in global military spending. He called for a redirection of priorities towards enhancing opportunities for life and stability, rather than perpetuating conflict.
In closing remarks, His Highness posed a fundamental question on the concept of security, stressing that true security is not measured by a nation’s capacity to wage war, but by its ability to protect life and promote human dignity.
During the conference’s opening session, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides called for translating the discussions into tangible results, stressing the need for decisive and collective action without delay to address climate challenge and transform the crisis into an opportunity to build more resilient economies, sustainable societies, and a more secure future.
For her part, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka ?uica, said the region is experiencing a period of overlapping crises, pointing to rising fossil fuel prices and dependence on them as an increasing economic burden, at a time when the effects of climate change are escalating.
The conference tackles such key issues as climate science, the energy transition, water resource management, and sustainable development, with emphasis on the importance of cross-border cooperation as a crucial factor in addressing the climate crisis in one of the world’s most fragile and vulnerable regions.
