The means for cities and regions to support the energy transition in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean region is believed to be warming 20% faster than the global average. At the same time, population and tourism growth, predominantly in coastal urban areas, together with intensive industrialisation, are putting additional pressure on available energy resources. Yet the overall energy mix is still largely based on fossil fuels, while renewable energy sources (RES) meet only a marginal share of the overall demand across the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, despite the region's untapped potential for its development. Decarbonisation measures will be crucial not only for countering the climate crisis and other environmental externalities pursuant to the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement, but also for ensuring sustainable, just and inclusive growth across the region. The objective of this study is to map and analyse possible opportunities to further diversify energy supply in the Southern Neighbourhood countries, above all concerning the role that cities and regions can play in accelerating a just and inclusive energy transition.