Inaugural MCAP Annual Convening Summary

Barcelona. June 25-28, 2024

Introduction

The Government of Catalonia and the Mediterranean Climate Action Partnership (MCAP) Secretariat were delighted to welcome leaders from around the world to Barcelona for the inaugural MCAP Annual Convening, held from June 25-28, 2024. This historic event marked the first global gathering of the MCAP, an initiative formed to address the pressing climate challenges faced by regions with mediterranean climates.

The convening offered an unparalleled opportunity for leaders of subnational governments to share best practices from their home regions and learn from peers facing similar climate risks at the nexus of drought, extreme heat, and wildfires. Over three days, Catalonia served as a ‘living laboratory,’ inspiring collaboration and innovative solutions among the members. Participants worked together to advance the collective agenda outlined in the MCAP Action Agenda

We convened to…

Break down Work Group silos and share findings from MCAP Work Group sessions with a focus on member priorities and cross-cutting issues across all three Work Groups

Elevate member ‘snapshots’ of current challenges and opportunities and presentation of suggested collective MCAP actions that emerged from the MCAP Technical Work Groups

Provide the Leadership Council a moment to review and approve MCAP Priority Actions for 2024 and beyond and discuss key MCAP governance items

Interactive discussion uplifting key MCAP mediterranean climate messaging priorities, opportunities to uplift and reinforce MCAP priorities with key global and funding actors, and gaps in messaging or communication that need to be addressed including MCAP sustainable funding strategy and fundraising conflict of interest criteria

SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

Barcelona as a Living Lab

Advancing Heat Resilience in Barcelona

A guided walking tour of the Eixample neighborhood providing context for the region’s heat resilience planning and showcasing local solutions from ‘Superilles’ (super blocks) to the Climate Shelters Network.

Empordà Catalonia Living Lab Site 1 | Adapting to Wildfires and Drought in Catalonia’s Primary Sector

An exploration of innovations from the private and public sectors in drought and wildfire prevention and management in the vineyards of Catalonia (Marès Estate of Espelt Vineyards) and protected ecosystems rich in biodiversity in the first maritime-terrestrial park (Cap de Creus Natural Park) in Catalonia.

Empordà Catalonia Living Lab Site 2 | Managing Water and Building Coastal Resilience

A deep dive into multi-jurisdictional water management and environmental flows in the context of climate change and a burgeoning tourism industry in the marine reserve of the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Low Ter Natural Park including La Platera Beach.

Research and Climate Adaptation in Catalonia’s Private Sector

Enjoy lunch at Mooma while learning more about the Hot Climate Partnership’s science-based approach to sustaining Catalonia’s apple and pear industries and Mooma owner Llorens Frigola’s commitment to sustainable business practices.

Empordà Catalonia Living Lab Site 4 | Building Forest Resilience

A discussion of Catalonia’s diverse wildfire prevention approaches - from perimeter priority areas for fire protection to goat grazing projects - in the face of current challenges of riparian forest loss, drought and forest decay and new innovations in the use of carbon credits, all in Les Gavarres Natural Park.

Working Group Report Out

In the lead up to the Convening:

Three regions committed to serve as chairs of Work Groups and all regions committed to designating members.
Chairs led over ten meetings across nine time zones with MCAP members to gather input.
Working groups identified and explored 28 opportunities for priority action for MCAP and prioritized 15 (with 9 to be voted on by Leadership Council in Q4).
Working group members provided challenges and opportunities in their region from wildfire, extreme heat, and drought impacts.

Leadership Council Meeting

Next Steps:

Secretariat and members to define scope, schedule, budget for MCAP actions.
Create sustained funding model and full budget proposal for consideration at the next Leadership Council meeting.
Develop funder engagement, including briefing webinar.

MCAP Visioning. From Catalonia to COP27 and Beyond.

Next Steps:

Secretariat to develop collateral around MCAP Brand Value and Messaging.
Secretariat to scope and develop public awareness needs and bring proposed action items for consideration to the next Leadership Council meeting.

OUR GOALS FOR THE CONVENING WERE TO:

Advance
Learning

Learn from host region Catalonia and foster deeper connections among MCAP members

Accelerate Action and Policy

Identify tangible opportunities to work together to advance collective goals

Elevate Awareness

Refine MCAP’s public messaging and position memberes to carry MCAP messaging at COP29

KEY PRIORITIES

Coming out of the Convening, members coalesced around 9 main priority actions to accelerate towards implementation, spanning from a timeline of one year to 3+ years. Taken together, these findings described below have the potential to have a meaningful impact in addressing the region’s climate challenges and by prioritizing better projects, unifying multiple regional actors towards collaborative action and sharing of best practices, tools, innovation and creating greater capacity to leverage the influx of future funds for long-term community resilience.

15+ MCAP priority actions recommended by working groups to Leadership Council

Cross-Cutting Themes:

Governance & Policy

Governance models and decision-making in both drought and wildfire contexts.

Comparative analysis of approaches across regions and sectors.

Data & Monitoring

Use of monitoring systems and climate models across different climate threats (drought, wildfire, heat) for early detection, risk reduction, and decision-making.

Technology & Innovation

Development of early warning systems, modeling tools, and real-time information apps for both drought, extreme heat, and wildfire.

Nature-Based Solutions

Nature-based solutions integrated in water resilience and ecosystem protection, especially in the context of drought and fire management.

Stakeholder Engagement

Communication strategies and stakeholder involvement for holistic climate adaptation and disaster response.

Wildfire Priority Actions for MCAP Project Portfolio

Develop approaches to incorporate biodiversity protection into fire prevention plans

Explore use of fire for fuel management (including cultural fire management) (e.g. prescribed burn, etc.)

Develop a resource on climate models and incorporation of climate change information into planning and decision-making

Develop a resource on governance and decision-making comparing different approaches

Co-develop a communication strategy to engage multiple stakeholders, including government, rural, urban communities, and institutions to work together on wildfire prevention, response and recovery

Explore funding challenges and options for ongoing funding for wildfire management

Extreme Heat Priority Actions for MCAP Project Portfolio

Refine urban heat island (extreme heat) prediction tools to identify the distribution of temperature and other variables in the region

Develop a mobile app or technology that provides real-time updates on heat waves and air pollution experiences in different locations.

Comparative analysis of Early Prevention Systems for extreme heat, considering variables specific to each zone with the objective of reducing risks to people and communities

Drought Priority Actions for MCAP Project Portfolio

Comparative analysis of governance approaches to water and drought across MCAP regions

Skills gaps and skills adjustment needed for climate change and drought with a focus on agricultural sector & others to be determined

Monitoring systems (including early warning and sub-seasonal modeling)

Physical shifts in variability - assess shift in streamflow response to rainfall across MCAP regions

Integration of renewable energy in water resource management (case studies, research projects, benefit, and CBA information)

Increasing resilience of water supply systems and communities through design and implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS)

What we heard from participants

“Catalonia is already adapting to climate impacts, including unforeseen weather and a prolonged drought. By exchanging practices and generating new knowledge, we can respond more effectively to climate change.”

David Mascort, Catalonia’s Minister of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda
“Governments like ours in regions with Mediterranean climates are battling intensifying droughts, extreme heat and wildfires. Now, through the Mediterranean Climate Action Partnership that we’ve come together to establish, we are helping each other adapt and better protect our people from these threats. This alliance will become even more important in the years to come.”

Wade Crowfoot
MCAP has made significant progress since our formation in Dubai. We have zeroed in on a prioritized set of initiatives that underscore the collective commitment of MCAP members to implement effective and scalable solutions that address the pressing climate challenges in mediterranean regions.

Sam Carter, Resilient Cities Catalyst (MCAP Secretariat)
“MCAP since its inception was really a learning experience for us to sit with the secretariat and the political leaders and see how we could pave the way forward to make the Mediterranean regions more climate change resilient. If we all work together, we are sure the Mediterranean regions can prosper, can be sustainable, but also leave behind a biodiversity and a sustainable environment that we can really be proud of.”

Ilse Trautmann, Deputy Director, General Agricultural Research and Regulatory Services - Western Cape Department of Agriculture
“This convening has been really important to South Australia. It has demonstrated to me that as a government and as citizens, we can work collectively with other nations to share our knowledge, to bring innovation back into the work that we do and how we support our communities.”

- Cate Hart. Executive Director, Environment, Heritage and Sustainability, South Australia
“During this week here in Barcelona, we have been able to learn a series of noteworthy experiences about very concrete actions to approach productive metropolitan areas that protect nature at the same time.”

- Blas Araneda