Mediterranean Climate Change conference opens in Athens

ANA-MPA/Prime Minister George Papandreou on Friday urged close cooperation among the countries of the Mediterranean to tackle the repercussions of climate change, stressing "this is the threat that unites us", opening a conference in the Athens coastal town of Vouliagmeni being held at the Greek premier's initiative and attended by regional leaders.

Opening the "Mediterranean Climate Change Initiative" (MCCI) conference, Papandreou stressed the significance of the high level of representation at the conference, noting in particular Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's attendance.

"The fact that Turkey is represented here at high level, by friend Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is proof that the two countries can put aside their differences in the face of the common threats," Papandreou said.

"Having learned the value of cooperation in difficult conditions, Greece and Turkey stand united on one of the most important issues, that of climate change," he added.

From within the "bad scenarios" for climate change appearing to be coming true in the southeastern Mediterranean with increasingly frequenter extreme weather phenomena and threats to the region's unique agricultural production, "which is a capital for its culture", an opportunity arises, Papandreou said, that of taking advantage of the cooperation among the regional countries "to develop a new growth model, making use of the region's resources, to create new green industries".

"Our cooperation becomes even more mandatory because globalisation, as it is developing, has created major inequalities, great instability, due to climate change, energy problems, dietary crises, a crisis in water management, but also due to economic clashes and recession," he said.

Later in the day, the leaders will sign a Declaration which, Papandreou stressed, "is not a declaration of intentions but a commitment that we will step up our cooperation on the Mediterranean, which is holding up to the changes but also utilises its rich resources".