Climate change has now become a decisive factor in the restructuring of international politics, energy strategy, and regional security. Mrs. Fay Selimi, Attorney at Law, Economist, Deputy Director of EPLO Circular Economy & Climate Institute, elaborates on how the recent United Nations conferences — COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on climate change, and the 24th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to UNEP/MAP (COP24) for the Mediterranean — clearly illustrate the transformation of climate policy from a regulatory framework focused on achieving climate neutrality by 2050 into a field of geopolitical and developmental choices with direct and tangible impacts.
COP30: Global Climate Policy and Energy Contradictions
COP30, held under the auspices of the UNFCCC, focused on improving the implementation mechanisms of the Paris Agreement, with particular emphasis on adaptation and resilience, climate finance, and the monitoring of progress on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The debate shifted from the adoption of new overarching commitments to the need to enhance the credibility, measurability, and effectiveness of existing policies.
Within this context, COP30 highlighted the close interconnection between climate policy and global energy balances. The absence of a binding agreement on the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels underscored the contradictions between scientific warnings and the geo-economic interests of states that continue to rely on energy-intensive development models. At the same time, discussions on financing adaptation and addressing loss and damage brought the issue of climate justice to the forefront as a critical component of international stability.
The choice of Belém, located in close proximity to the Amazon ecosystem, carried strong symbolic significance, emphasizing the role of natural ecosystems in regulating the global climate. Nevertheless, the overall assessment of COP30 indicates progress primarily at the level of procedures and policy instruments, without a corresponding strengthening of collective ambition for rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
UNEP/MAP COP24: Climate, Energy and Regional Resilience in the Mediterranean
At the regional level, UNEP/MAP COP24, held in Cairo within the framework of the Barcelona Convention, highlighted the Mediterranean as a region of heightened climatic and geopolitical vulnerability. The Mediterranean basin is warming faster than the global average, intensifying pressures on water resources, coastal ecosystems, and socio-economic structures.
The decisions adopted at COP24 focused on integrating climate adaptation and resilience into marine and coastal management policies, biodiversity conservation, and the promotion of a circular blue economy. This approach recognizes that environmental protection and economic activity are not competing but interdependent, particularly in a region where tourism, maritime transport, and energy constitute key pillars of development.
Of particular importance is the linkage between climate policy and the energy dimension of the Mediterranean. The impacts of climate change directly affect critical energy infrastructure, such as ports, offshore installations (LNG, FSRUs, offshore wind), and transmission networks, while simultaneously creating new challenges for energy security. COP24 demonstrated that regional cooperation is a fundamental prerequisite for enhancing resilience and reducing risks associated with the climate crisis.
Climate Governance and Geopolitics: From the Global to the Regional
A comparison of the outcomes of COP30 and COP24 highlights the complementarity between global and regional governance frameworks. While international conferences set overarching objectives and institutional tools, regional processes such as UNEP/MAP translate these commitments into policies tailored to the specific geographical, social, and energy characteristics of the region.
In the Mediterranean, climate policy is directly linked to geopolitical stability, the diversification of energy sources, the development of pipelines and transmission and storage networks, and the deployment of renewable energy technologies. Effective implementation of COP24 decisions can function as a conflict-prevention mechanism and a driver of regional cooperation, transforming the climate challenge into a field of convergence for political and strategic interests.
Developments at COP30 and COP24 confirm that climate change is no longer exclusively an environmental issue, but a fundamental factor shaping the energy and geopolitical agenda. Within the Mediterranean context, the linkage between climate policy, energy transition, and regional governance is critical for the long-term sustainability and stability of the region, for cooperation among countries, and — to the greatest extent possible — for the joint achievement of green transition and climate neutrality objectives.
Short Bio
Mrs. Fay Selimi, Attorney at Law, Economist, Deputy Director of EPLO Circular Economy & Climate Institute & UNECE Espoo Convention & SEA Prot. Representative. She is a PhD(c) at NKUA, Co-founder Circular Gaia Symposium, EMEA Expert and BEF Ambassador.
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