Conference Themes
1. Mediterranean atmospheric dynamics & synoptic weather: cyclones and severe convective storms.
This section focuses on Mediterranean atmospheric dynamics and synoptic weather, with emphasis on cyclones, severe convective storms, and tornadoes. Lying between temperate southern Europe and the arid regions of Africa, being further influenced by Atlantic storm tracks, a constantly warming Mediterranean Sea, and surrounding high mountain ranges, the Mediterranean fosters a uniquely favorable environment for hazardous weather systems. We welcome abstracts that advance understanding of these systems and their links to floods, heavy rainfall, windstorms, and storm surges. Contributions that extend to impacts, risk, and related hazards are also encouraged.
2. Water cycle and precipitation: trends, extreme events and impacts
Description: Precipitation is a key climatic driver shaping Mediterranean ecosystems and human activities. As climate change intensifies, understanding how the water cycle responds across timescales becomes essential for effective adaptation. This session welcomes contributions exploring the Mediterranean water cycle from multiple perspectives, including long-term reconstructions, observational analyses, and hydroclimatic modeling approaches. Studies addressing variability mechanisms, dynamic and thermodynamic processes, and robust evaluation of future projections are particularly encouraged. The session is organized by the MedCLIVAR Working Group on Precipitation.
3.Regional warming and temperature extremes: drivers, predictability, attribution, risk and impacts
Recent decades have seen unprecedented regional warming and record-breaking temperature extremes, with severe impacts on ecosystems, infrastructure, and human health, particularly in the Mediterranean, a recognized climate change hotspot. Improving our understanding of the physical mechanisms, large-scale drivers, and regional processes controlling temperature extremes is essential to enhance predictability across timescales, disentangle anthropogenic climate change from natural variability, and support climate services and early warning systems. This session brings together observational, modeling, and interdisciplinary approaches to address detection, attribution, predictability, compound interactions, including atmospheric and marine heatwaves, and the risks and impacts of temperature extremes under present and future climate conditions.
4. Urban climate and weather
Mediterranean cities face severe challenges as regional warming occurs almost twice as fast as the global average, with urbanization contributing measurably to this trend. Mediterranean distinctive climatic characteristics (intense solar radiation, elevated air temperatures, and frequent droughts) combine with diverse urban morphologies ranging from dense historical centers to sprawling modern developments. Critical research gaps remain in observing and modeling these complex urban-atmosphere interactions across multiple scales, integrating diverse datasets from ground-based and remote sensing platforms, applying advanced computational methods to capture fine-scale processes, and coupling local urban dynamics with regional climate patterns. This session welcomes contributions spanning the full spectrum of urban climate research methodologies and scales.
5. Compound hazards and concurrent extremes in the Mediterranean
Compound, concurrent, and recurrent extreme events, as an effect of climate change, are reshaping risk patterns worldwide. Though not always extreme individually, their interactions can intensify impacts across societies, economies, and ecosystems. Advancing our ability to understand, model, and predict these complex phenomena is essential for assessing impacts and building resilience. This session welcomes research on compound event dynamics, risk interactions, and innovative approaches—including AI-driven methods—that deepen insight into these emerging challenges.
6. Ocean dynamics, sea-level rise and biogeochemical risks
Biogeochemical cycles in the Mediterranean Sea are strongly affected by global change and direct anthropogenic pressures, amplifying synergistic impacts and still poorly quantified feedback mechanisms in this rapidly warming region. This session welcomes contributions addressing the so-called triple threat of ocean warming, acidification, and deoxygenation in the Mediterranean Sea, at both basin-wide and regional to local scales.
7. Climate variability and change in the Global Mediterranean climates
This session examines the mechanisms and patterns of climate variability and change across the five Mediterranean-type regions—Mediterranean Basin, California, central Chile, southern Africa, and southwest Australia—from interannual to centennial timescales. It will compare regional similarities and differences in responses to atmospheric and oceanic drivers, storm tracks, and large-scale circulation changes. Participants are invited to present studies that analyze or contrast past, present, and future climate change within and across these regions.
8. Mediterranean paleo-climate: process understanding, variability and interactions towards future climate scenarios
This session explores the evolution of the Mediterranean climate since the establishment of its modern paleogeography in the early Pliocene (~5.33 million years ago). It highlights key evidence across timescales from annual to millennial, examining external forcings, internal dynamics, and their relevance to present and future climate change under rising greenhouse gas concentrations. Emphasis is placed on integrating paleoclimate data with modeling approaches to compare and test climate simulations from Deep Time to the recent past, enhancing understanding of regional climate evolution.
9. Climate mitigation and adaptation strategies in the Mediterranean
The session focuses on climate change adaptation and mitigation actions in the Mediterranean region. It aims to foster dialogue between local authorities, policymakers, and the scientific community to build an integrated perspective on climate-resilient and low-carbon development pathways. Participants are invited to share practical experiences in designing and implementing both sectoral and cross-cutting strategies that address adaptation challenges while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The session particularly welcomes examples illustrating synergies between adaptation and mitigation measures, lessons learned, and innovative approaches that advance sustainable transitions at the regional and local levels.
10. From networking to impact science: clustering, capacity building, and education for Mediterranean climate action
This session invites contributions on how Mediterranean climate science is advanced through research clustering, scientific networking, and capacity building, across initiatives such as MedECC, EMME-CCI, COST Actions, doctoral networks, and regional partnerships. We welcome presentations that share successful collaboration models, training and education formats, and cross-project synergies, including lessons learned and practical approaches for sustaining inclusive, interdisciplinary communities across the Mediterranean.
11. Multi-hazard early warning systems in the Euro-Mediterranean-African area
Climate change is intensifying natural hazards, leading to more frequent, severe, and cascading events that place growing strain on emergency response systems and available resources, particularly in rapidly warming regions. This session focuses on advances in impact-based, multi-hazard early warning systems that support timely, precise, and actionable decision-making for preparedness and response. It highlights approaches to improve the anticipation and management of hazards such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, landslides, coastal flooding, and extreme weather, with a strong emphasis on operational relevance, cross-regional applicability, and effective support to first responders and civil protection authorities.
12. Atmospheric composition, aerosols, air quality and climate interactions
This session explores the interactions between the climate and atmospheric composition, aerosols, and air quality, with a focus on processes relevant to the Mediterranean region. It includes observations, modelling, and impacts across scales, highlighting key feedbacks between regional climate change and emissions and atmospheric chemistry, discussing climate change implications for air-quality management, mitigation, and adaptation policies.