Circum-Mediterranean regions, consisting of South Europe, Middle East, and North Africa, are located at the crossroad of global environmental patterns. There is a convergence between various maritime conditions and different continental air masses from adjacent extensive lands marked by extreme differences in topographical features. On the spatial scale, various climate and environmental parameters vary considerably across circum-Mediterranean regions. Over the temporal scale, there have been significant climate and environmental changes occurring over the past thousands of years. Currently, circum-Mediterranean regions are experiencing challenges ranging from drought and fire to intense floods and water quality concerns under the changing climate. Further warming would lead to an unbearable future for human beings and ecosystems.
In order to make suitable mitigation and adaptation measures, it is critically important to reveal mechanisms of climate and environmental changes in circum-Mediterranean regions and make better predictions and impact assessments for future changes. Unfortunately, at present, the circum-Mediterranean regions have not been deeply investigated and assessed, compared with other regions of the world such as Europe and North America. This Research Topic will give new insights into patterns, mechanisms, and impacts of past and future climate/environmental changes in the Circum-Mediterranean region. Topics include but are not limited to:
• Mechanism, simulation and prediction of climate and environmental changes in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Impacts of climate change on scarce water resources and food insecurity in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Extreme climate events and resulting disasters in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Impacts of climate change on vulnerable terrestrial/marine ecosystems in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Climate risks and resilience solutions in Circum-Mediterranean regions
Circum-Mediterranean regions, consisting of South Europe, Middle East, and North Africa, are located at the crossroad of global environmental patterns. There is a convergence between various maritime conditions and different continental air masses from adjacent extensive lands marked by extreme differences in topographical features. On the spatial scale, various climate and environmental parameters vary considerably across circum-Mediterranean regions. Over the temporal scale, there have been significant climate and environmental changes occurring over the past thousands of years. Currently, circum-Mediterranean regions are experiencing challenges ranging from drought and fire to intense floods and water quality concerns under the changing climate. Further warming would lead to an unbearable future for human beings and ecosystems.
In order to make suitable mitigation and adaptation measures, it is critically important to reveal mechanisms of climate and environmental changes in circum-Mediterranean regions and make better predictions and impact assessments for future changes. Unfortunately, at present, the circum-Mediterranean regions have not been deeply investigated and assessed, compared with other regions of the world such as Europe and North America. This Research Topic will give new insights into patterns, mechanisms, and impacts of past and future climate/environmental changes in the Circum-Mediterranean region. Topics include but are not limited to:
• Mechanism, simulation and prediction of climate and environmental changes in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Impacts of climate change on scarce water resources and food insecurity in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Extreme climate events and resulting disasters in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Impacts of climate change on vulnerable terrestrial/marine ecosystems in circum-Mediterranean regions
• Climate risks and resilience solutions in Circum-Mediterranean regions
