Strengthening Climate Finance for Loss and Damage in the Mediterranean region

The impacts of climate change are increasingly manifesting through severe and multifaceted loss and damage, particularly across vulnerable regions such as the Mediterranean. These impacts extend beyond environmental degradation, contributing to forced displacement, food insecurity, political instability, and the erosion of human rights and dignity. Furthermore, they reinforce structural inequalities between the Global North and South, thereby challenging global principles of climate justice and equity. This policy brief offers a strategic set of recommendations to address the complex dimensions of climate-induced loss and damage in the Mediterranean region. It synthesizes key insights from a webinar held in October 2024, jointly organized by the Science Policy Platform-Climate (SPP-C) and the Positive Advisory Agenda (P2A), with technical support from ESSEC Business School Africa, and the contribution of the following institutions: the ConnectinGroup International Foundation; the Union for the Mediterranean; the Mediterranean Expert Group on Environmental and Climate Change (MedECC); UNIMED; Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition, and Sustainable Development; ESSEC Business School Africa; WECEN; ENDA Energy – Senegal. The event, entitled “Strengthening Climate Finance for Loss and Damage within the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG),” served as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and knowledge exchange. The brief proposes an integrated approach anchored in regional cooperation, inclusivity, and innovation. Key policy recommendations included enhancing Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus frameworks to promote systemic resilience; ensuring equitable access to climate finance mechanisms; establishing a dedicated funding stream for loss and damage; and improving science-policy communication channels. Additionally, the brief underscores the vital role of academic institutions in informing evidence-based policies and fostering long-term adaptation capacity. By bridging knowledge, finance, and governance gaps, this policy brief seeks to inform national and regional strategies that can strengthen resilience, protect livelihoods, and uphold climate justice in the face of accelerating climate threats.