Forum Youth
Youth Policy Lab for Climate Action
Organized in cooperation with:
the Representation of Italy to the European Commission,
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),
the MENA-OECD Governance Programme Training Centre,
the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO),
the Investment and Technology Promotion Office Italy (ITPO)
and Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
The Forum consists in closed-door sessions, under Chatham House rule, by invitation only
Rome MED Mediterranean Dialogues 2022 is proud to announce its first edition of the “Youth Forum – Youth Policy Lab for Climate Action”, promoted by ISPI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and implemented in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in Italy, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and the UNIDO ITPO Italy – Italian Investment and Technology Promotion Office of UNIDO. This year, building on the lessons learned from past editions, the Youth Forum will take on an entirely new format to provide the region’s youth with an opportunity to strengthen and further develop climate change policies and practices in the broader Mediterranean.
Climate insecurity has become a growing challenge on both sides of the Mediterranean. Adverse effects of climate change have increased the frequency of extreme weather and higher temperatures, with far-reaching impacts on all sectors of local societies and their economies. Nowadays, half of the Middle East and North African population lives under water-stress conditions; a burden equally shared with most of Europe’s Mediterranean countries. Likewise, the war in Ukraine has put many countries heavily reliant on food imports under pressure, especially those that host a high number of refugees. These challenges, paired with the expected population growth over the following decades, put the security of many Mediterranean countries’ social systems under further pressure. While many phenomena have traditionally been common in the region, the worsening of climate instability and the absence of appropriate policies may make them more durable and extreme. In this context, efforts to globally reduce the impact of climate change need to go hand in hand with attempts to strengthen and integrate the resilience of countries in the broader Mediterranean that are most vulnerable to its effects. So, how will new generations in the region answer to tackle the most significant challenges the world is facing?
Called “Youth Policy Lab for Climate Action”, this year’s Youth Forum will examine the potential of Mediterranean cooperation in the fields of climate adaptation and mitigation. By gathering young leaders from both shores of the Mediterranean, this call aims to promote innovative policy proposals and solutions to limit the region’s impact on global warming and accelerate adaptation to climate effects. Participants will have the opportunity to propose, discuss and exchange ideas with policymakers, researchers, think-tankers, academics, and representatives of civil society and private sectors on critical issues in the Mediterranean area, contributing to policy shaping solutions for the region.
