Empowering Cities: Transformative Climate Action in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East

Cultivating Climate Resilience in the Cradle of Civilization

The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region faces unprecedented climate change challenges. The region is warming at twice the global average rate, intensifying existing environmental stresses such as water scarcity, extreme weather events, and vulnerability to sea-level rise. Beyond environmental concerns, the impacts are increasingly threatening economic stability, social cohesion, and political security across the EMME.

Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires coordinated action spanning multiple governance levels, from local to national and international. However, the region’s complex geopolitical landscape—characterized by diverse political relationships, varying economic development, and distinct social structures—presents unique obstacles to effective climate governance.

This article builds upon the author’s work on inclusive climate governance in the EU’s Southern Neighborhood and his recent exploration of global urban climate governance. The analysis focuses on the broader EMME region and encompasses both urban and rural contexts. It also explores the potential for multilevel climate governance, emphasizing the role of cities and regions as key drivers of climate action.

By examining current governance structures for climate action, the analysis aims to identify gaps and propose a framework that enhances local-level implementation of climate policies while addressing region-specific challenges. Inspiration is drawn from successful initiatives in regional cities that have shown local leadership potential despite limited resources and autonomy. In contributing to the growing literature on climate action in the EMME, this study offers practical insights for policymakers, planners, and practitioners working to enhance climate action and resilience across urban, peri-urban, and rural landscapes in this vulnerable part of the world.

Regional cities and regions can reshape climate governance by leveraging their unique positions as centers of innovation, economic activity, and population concentration, while also addressing the critical linkages between urban and rural areas in climate action. By enhancing the capabilities of both urban and rural actors, the EMME can potentially accelerate climate action and improve resilience. This approach aligns with global trends toward decentralized and participatory climate governance, as seen in transnational city networks, but extends beyond city boundaries to include subnational regions.

Ultimately, however, the success of multilevel governance in the EMME region depends on overcoming significant barriers, including limited decentralization, insufficient financial resources, and weak institutional capacities at the local and regional levels. Addressing these barriers will require taking steps to enhance cooperation between national, subnational, and local actors; improve access to climate finance; and build technical capacities across the region’s diverse geographical contexts.

A Potential Tapestry of Collaborative Climate Action

Multilevel climate governance recognizes that addressing climate change necessitates coordinated action across different scales of government and society. This approach acknowledges the interdependence between national, subnational, and local actors in formulating and implementing effective climate policies. While the global response to climate change was initially focused on nation states and supranational bodies such as the EU, this state-centric approach has proven insufficient to address the complex, multifaceted challenges posed by climate change.

The concept of multilevel climate governance assumes that different levels of government are mutually dependent when implementing climate agreements and policies. It recognizes both the diffusion of climate change policymaking across levels of government and the implications this has for the role of the state, civil society, and the private sector. National governments rely on regional and local governments to help execute national climate strategies. Conversely, local and regional governments are affected by the legal, institutional, and financial frameworks established by higher levels of government, which can either support or hinder local climate action. This interdependence is particularly evident in the implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation measures, where local knowledge and context-specific solutions are crucial for success. For instance, while national governments may set overarching emissions reduction targets, it is often local authorities who must implement the necessary changes in urban planning, transportation systems, and building regulations. Similarly, adaptation strategies require a nuanced understanding of local vulnerabilities and resources, which subnational governments are often best positioned to provide. The effectiveness of multilevel climate governance thus hinges on the ability of multiple governmental levels to share information, resources, and responsibilities in a coordinated manner to address the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change.

Two types of multilevel governance are relevant in the context of climate governance: Type I, which focuses on power-sharing between different levels of government within a stable jurisdictional framework, and Type II, which involves flexible, task-specific jurisdictions. Both types allow for structured cooperation between established government levels and more flexible, issue-specific collaborations. Type I governance is characterized by general-purpose jurisdictions, nonintersecting memberships, a limited number of jurisdictional levels, and a system-wide architecture. This type of governance bundles multiple functions together and is typically organized in a nested hierarchy, such as local, regional, and national levels. Type II governance, in contrast, is characterized by task-specific jurisdictions, intersecting memberships, no limit to the number of jurisdictional levels, and a flexible design. This type allows for numerous, overlapping jurisdictions that are tailored to particular policy problems or service requirements.

The principle of subsidiarity in multilevel climate governance emphasizes that decisions should be made at the most appropriate level of government. This principle is particularly relevant for climate policy, as many mitigation and adaptation measures are most effectively implemented at the local or regional level. For example, urban planning for climate resilience or local renewable energy initiatives often benefit from localized decisionmaking. Subsidiarity recognizes the unique potential of each governance level to contribute to climate action, from global agreements to community-level implementation.

Multilevel climate governance, involving coordination between national, regional, and local authorities, is particularly crucial in the EMME region due to its diverse political systems, varying levels of economic development, and complex geopolitical relationships. These factors create challenges for implementing cohesive climate policies across different scales of governance. The convergence of harsh climatic conditions, such as increasing temperatures and water scarcity, with rapid, unsustainable urbanization and associated socioeconomic burdens can exacerbate existing political instability, conflict-induced migration, and poverty. For example, climate-induced water shortages can increase competition for resources in urban areas, potentially leading to social unrest. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires a coordinated approach that leverages the strengths of different levels of government and considers the unique context of each city in the region. Effective multilevel climate governance in the EMME region could help overcome some of the its unique challenges, such as political instability, economic disparities, water scarcity, food security issues, energy sector transitions, and rapid urbanization. Cities from across the world have demonstrated the potential for subnational actors to drive significant climate action when empowered within a multilevel governance framework.

However, implementing effective multilevel climate governance in the region faces significant obstacles. The prevalence of highly centralized administrative systems and incomplete decentralization reforms hamper local capacity building and decisionmaking, which are prerequisites for effective adaptation and resilience. Overcoming these barriers will require concerted efforts to build institutional capacity, foster political will, and create enabling environments for local and regional climate action tailored to unique contexts. 

The Role of Cities and Regions in Climate Action

Cities and regions play a crucial role in addressing climate change, particularly in the EMME region where rapid urbanization is occurring. Urban areas are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions due to energy consumption, transportation, and waste management practices. At the same time, they are highly vulnerable to climate impacts such as heat waves, water shortages, and, in some instances, sea-level rise.

Local and regional governments often have significant influence over key sectors relevant to climate change mitigation and adaptation. These areas include land use planning and zoning, building codes and energy efficiency standards, public transportation and urban mobility, water management and conservation, waste management and recycling, and green space development and urban forestry. By leveraging competencies in these areas, cities and regions can implement targeted climate actions that contribute to national and international climate goals while addressing local priorities and needs.

Moreover, subnational governments can serve as laboratories for innovative climate solutions, testing new approaches that can later be scaled up to the national level. They can also act as bridges between national policies and local implementation, ensuring that climate strategies are tailored to specific local contexts.

Cities account for 67–72 percent of all carbon emissions globally. This urban contribution to emissions is particularly relevant in the EMME region, where rapid urbanization is ongoing and therefore the potential for climate action is significant. Enhancing public transportation systems and promoting sustainable mobility could substantially decrease transport-related emissions, which constitute a significant portion of urban greenhouse gas emissions in the region. However, the relationship between climate change and urban energy demand is complex and circular. More frequent heat waves, a consequence of climate change, are likely to increase energy consumption in cities, primarily for space cooling. Furthermore, as fresh water becomes scarcer, the increased reliance on energy-intensive desalination processes to meet rising water needs will further drive up energy consumption. 

Realizing the potential for impactful urban climate action requires overcoming several challenges. Many cities in the EMME region lack the financial resources, technical expertise, and institutional capacity to effectively plan and implement comprehensive climate strategies. This includes almost all small cities and many large and medium-sized cities of the Levant and Egypt, including Tripoli and Sidon in Lebanon and Alexandria and Damietta in Egypt. It also includes all cities that have experienced conflict in the last decade—conflict that has all but eliminated their capacity. These include Syrian cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, and Homs; Iraqi cities such as Baghdad, Basra, Erbil, and Mosul; and Palestinian cities such as Gaza City and Khan Yunis. Additionally, the highly centralized nature of governance in many EMME countries can limit the autonomy of local authorities to take decisive climate action. Small states of the Gulf, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, particularly lack agency given that most competences are exercised at the national rather than city level. 

Despite these challenges, there are promising examples of cities in the EMME region taking proactive steps on climate change. For instance, Byblos in Lebanon has developed a Resilience Strategy that, while not solely focused on climate change, includes several climate-related elements. The strategy addresses coastal flooding risks, proposes developing blue-green networks and urban greening strategies, and includes plans for sustainable resource management. Cities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite being part of centralized governance, continue to improve their technical expertise and institutional capacity.

To further enhance the role of cities and regions in climate action, several steps will be crucial: 

• Strengthening multilevel governance frameworks to enable better coordination between national, regional, and local climate policies;
• Enhancing the capacity of local governments through training programs, knowledge sharing, and technical assistance;
• Improving access to climate finance for subnational governments, including through international climate funds and innovative financing mechanisms; and
• Promoting partnerships between cities, both within the EMME region and internationally, to facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons learned. These partnerships could be modeled after national city networks such as the Moroccan Association for Eco-Cities, or transnational ones, such as MedCities.

Case Studies of Local Climate Initiatives in the EMME Region

Several EMME cities have demonstrated leadership in climate action, despite the challenges they face. These case studies highlight the potential for subnational governments in the region to drive significant climate progress.

Amman, Jordan. The capital city has demonstrated a multifaceted approach to addressing climate change and urban resilience. In 2017, Amman developed its Resilience Strategy, focusing on five key pillars including becoming an environmentally proactive city. Building on this step, Amman launched a comprehensive Climate Action Plan in 2019, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

The case of Amman illustrates how multilevel governance structures influence urban climate action in Jordan. Recent reforms have established a complex yet coordinated system where national, metropolitan, and local authorities intersect in urban climate policy implementation. At the national level, the Jordan National Urban Policy provides an overarching framework that requires climate considerations to be integrated across sectors. This is overseen by the National Urbanization Commission, which coordinates with metropolitan bodies such as the Greater Amman Municipality’s Planning Council and City Planning Commission (Greater Amman Municipality, 2024). At the local level, district planning commissions and newly proposed community design and innovation hubs serve as implementation vehicles, engaging directly with communities on climate-related urban initiatives. This multilevel structure is designed to enable vertical integration of climate action, though challenges remain in coordinating across traditionally siloed sectors and ensuring consistent implementation. The system represents an evolution from Jordan’s historically centralized approach toward a more decentralized model that aims to better integrate climate considerations across governance levels while maintaining alignment with national priorities.

Key initiatives include implementing a Bus Rapid Transit system, improving energy efficiency in buildings, expanding renewable energy use, and enhancing walkability. The city is also addressing water scarcity through rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, while improving waste management with waste-to-energy facilities.

Both the Resilience Strategy and the Climate Action Plan emphasize public participation and engagement, including youth integration in decisionmaking processes. However, Amman faces implementation challenges due to limited resources and rapid population growth, partly from refugee influxes.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The emirate of Dubai presents a unique case study in urban sustainability and climate action within the EMME region. Unlike many other cities in the area, Dubai benefits from its dual status as both a city and one of the seven emirates in the UAE federation, allowing for more coordinated and ambitious policymaking. 

Central to Dubai’s climate efforts is the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy, which aims to source 75 percent of the emirate’s energy from clean sources by 2050. This ambitious target is supported by large-scale projects and comprehensive programs that span multiple governance levels:

• Renewable energy—The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the world’s largest single-site solar installations, exemplifies Dubai’s commitment to large-scale renewable energy projects.
• Energy efficiency—The Al Sa'fat green building rating system mandates sustainability standards for new constructions, while the Etihad Energy Services program focuses on retrofitting existing buildings, demonstrating a dual approach to improving energy efficiency across the built environment.Sustainable transportation—The Dubai Metro forms the backbone of a growing public transit network, complemented by initiatives promoting electric vehicles. This multimodal approach to sustainable transportation aligns with the multilevel governance principle of addressing climate change through various sectors and strategies.
• Water management—Given the region’s arid climate, Dubai has invested heavily in water conservation, implementing advanced desalination technologies and promoting water recycling. This approach addresses the water scarcity challenges common to many EMME cities, as highlighted earlier in this article.
• Urban planning—The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan emphasizes compact, mixed-use development centered around transit nodes, aligning with global best practices in sustainable urban development and demonstrating how long-term planning can integrate climate considerations at the city level.

Dubai’s approach to climate resilience is being increasingly integrated into its planning processes, with particular attention to risks from sea-level rise and increasing temperatures. These initiatives are coordinated through a multilevel governance approach, with entities such as the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy playing crucial roles in aligning policies across different sectors and levels of government.

While Dubai faces ongoing challenges in reducing overall energy consumption and adapting to climate impacts, its recent initiatives demonstrate a commitment to a more sustainable urban model. The emirate’s experience offers valuable lessons for other cities in the EMME region, particularly in how to leverage a city’s unique governance structure to implement ambitious climate policies. However, it’s important to note that Dubai’s financial resources and political structure are not typical of most cities in the region.

Gabès, Tunisia. This coastal city of approximately 110,000 inhabitants represents a unique case of climate action in a medium-sized Mediterranean city. The city is notable for its rare oasis ecosystem that provides the bulk of local fruits and vegetables, making it a critical case study for the water-energy-food nexus in urban settings. Unlike Dubai and Amman, Gabès exemplifies the challenges and opportunities faced by small and medium-sized cities in the region working to build climate resilience with limited resources.

Central to Gabès’s climate efforts is the Madinatouna project, implemented within the Cities Alliance framework, which coordinates strategic urban planning initiatives with multiple international partners including the United Nations Development Program, MedCities, and Germany’s development agency (GIZ). This multilateral partnership approach has enabled the city to develop inclusive, sustainable urban strategies despite resource constraints.

The city’s approach to climate resilience operates across several vital areas:

• Water resource management—The city has established partnerships with France’s development agency (AFD) and NGO networks such as the Sustainable Development Association Network of Oases (RADDO) to address groundwater management in the oasis. These initiatives focus on managing competition for water resources between urban, agricultural, and industrial uses, while addressing critical groundwater salinity issues.
• Agricultural sustainability—Programs focus on protecting and restoring the traditional oasis ecosystem, which faces degradation from soil infertility and increasing salinity. This work is particularly crucial, as the oasis provides most of the city’s fruits and vegetables.
• Environmental protection—The city has worked with the EU on environmental governance projects, particularly those addressing industrial pollution in the Gulf of Gabès. These efforts include the exploration of sustainable water solutions such as seawater desalination for industrial use.
• Energy transition—Despite high potential for renewable energy, deployment remains minimal, highlighting the gap between climate ambitions and implementation capacity in medium-sized Mediterranean cities.

These initiatives are coordinated through a complex governance structure that reflects Tunisia’s ongoing decentralization process. Tunisia’s 2014 Constitution dedicated an entire chapter to administrative, political, and fiscal decentralization, and, in 2018, a new Local Authorities Code was adopted to transfer powers to local and regional councils. However, this decentralization process continues to face structural and logistical challenges that impact climate action implementation. At the national level, climate change governance remains fragmented; it has not been mainstreamed across ministries, with only the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries maintaining a dedicated Climate Change Focal Point.

The city’s climate initiatives operate within this evolving governance framework, where local authorities are gaining new responsibilities but often lack corresponding resources and technical capacity. As a result, unlike Amman and Dubai, Gabès faces significant implementation challenges. The city remains highly dependent on international funding and support for its climate initiatives.

The Gabès case demonstrates both the potential and limitations of climate action in medium-sized Mediterranean cities. While it highlights the need for integrated approaches to water, energy, and food security challenges, it also illustrates how international partnerships can help bridge resource and capacity gaps in smaller urban centers.

Collectively, these case studies demonstrate that cities in the EMME region have the potential to implement ambitious climate actions across various sectors, including energy, water, and ecosystem management. They show how local initiatives can address multiple challenges simultaneously, while tailoring approaches to local needs and resources. The initiatives, carried out in large capital cities to small towns, illustrate the diverse range of possibilities for urban climate action in the region. The case studies also underscore the importance of international cooperation and knowledge sharing in enabling and scaling up such efforts.

Navigating the Challenges to Climate Governance

Despite the potential for action, EMME cities and regions face numerous obstacles in implementing effective climate governance.

Limited governance powers. In many countries in the region, local and regional governments have restricted authority over key policy areas relevant to climate action. This centralization of power can hinder the ability of subnational entities to develop and implement tailored climate strategies. For example, in Lebanon, despite decentralization being enshrined in the constitution, municipalities often face significant challenges in fulfilling their roles. According to a 2017 report by Democracy Reporting International, 75 percent of municipalities in Lebanon report lacking sufficient funds to hire civil servants. This financial constraint severely limits their capacity to perform basic governance functions, which would likely include addressing climate-related issues. The report also notes that 36 percent of municipalities function with only one permanent civil servant, while 51 percent have between two and five civil servants, highlighting the severe understaffing issues that can impede effective local governance and climate action.

Financial constraints. Many cities and regions in the EMME region lack sufficient financial resources to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation measures. This is particularly true for smaller municipalities and economically disadvantaged areas, but not for most Gulf cities that do not seek external financing. A study by the International Finance Corporation found that many municipalities in the region lack creditworthiness, bankability, and the ability to attract international project funding.

Technical capacity gaps. Subnational governments often lack the technical expertise and human resources needed to develop comprehensive climate plans, conduct emissions inventories, or implement complex mitigation and adaptation projects. This capacity deficit is especially pronounced in smaller cities and rural areas where municipalities lack dedicated staff with technical knowledge.

Data and information barriers. Access to reliable climate data and localized impact assessments can be limited, making it difficult for cities and regions to make informed decisions and prioritize actions. For example, in Egyptian cities, most datasets are not availably publicly. In Jordan, limited coordination is worsened by the fact that most urban climate action is funded by external donors and Western development agencies that are disjointed and do not share data with each other. The lack of standardized methodologies for urban climate risk assessments further complicates this issue.

Political instability. In some parts of the EMME region, ongoing conflicts and political uncertainties can disrupt long-term planning and implementation of climate policies at all levels of government. This has adversely affected capital cities such a Beirut in Lebanon, Damascus in Syria, Tripoli in Libya, and Baghdad in Iraq. While political turmoil may not be the primary driver of climate-related issues, it acts as a “threat multiplier,” exacerbating existing problems.

Lack of coordination. Insufficient mechanisms for vertical and horizontal coordination between different levels of government can lead to policy inconsistencies and inefficiencies in climate action, particularly in transboundary contexts where multiple countries and sectors are involved. In Saudi Arabia, this challenge has been somehow addressed by creating royal commissions for important cities whose role is to coordinate between all relevant national and local stakeholders. In addition, the complex interdependencies within the water-energy-food nexus pose significant challenges for coordinated and coherent approaches in the EMME region. Bureaucratic structures often struggle to effectively integrate planning, management, and governance across sectors and stakeholders. Studies have shown that traditional linear approaches to policy integration may be insufficient to address the complexity of the nexus, and, thus, they call for more adaptive and context-driven strategies.

Energy sector dependencies. For parts of the region heavily reliant on fossil fuel industries, transitioning to low-carbon economies presents significant economic and social challenges. This is particularly evident in oil-producing countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, where economic diversification efforts are ongoing but face substantial hurdles.

Water scarcity. The EMME region is one of the most water-stressed globally, and climate change is exacerbating this issue. The city of Sanaa in Yemen is particularly water-stressed due to the depletion of its groundwater resources upon which it is dependent. Managing water resources in a changing climate requires complex, cross-jurisdictional cooperation. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia projects that climate change will lead to increased water scarcity in the region, with potentially severe socioeconomic consequences. 

Uneven urban development. Rapid urbanization in many EMME countries has led to the growth of informal settlements and inadequate infrastructure, which increases vulnerability to climate impacts. This unplanned urban expansion often outpaces the capacity of local governments to provide essential services and implement climate-resilient development strategies, especially in Levantine and North African cities.

Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort to enhance the capacity of cities and regions, reform governance structures, and foster greater collaboration between different levels of government. International cooperation and support, such as through the EU’s external action around the European Green Deal, can play a crucial role in overcoming these obstacles and enabling more effective climate governance at the subnational level in the EMME region.

A Blueprint for Climate-Resilient EMME Cities and Regions

To overcome the challenges and capitalize on the potential of EMME cities and regions, a more inclusive and effective multilevel climate governance framework is needed. This framework should be built on these seven principles:

1. Subsidiarity—Decisions should be made at the most appropriate level of government, with local and regional authorities empowered to act on climate issues within their jurisdictions.
2. Policy coherence—Climate policies and actions should be aligned across different levels of government to ensure consistency and maximize impact.
3. Fiscal decentralization—Adequate financial resources should be allocated to subnational governments to support climate action, coupled with increased capacity for local revenue generation.
4. Capacity building—Continuous efforts should be made to enhance the technical and institutional capacities of local and regional governments in climate-related areas.
5. Participatory decisionmaking—Mechanisms should be established to ensure the meaningful participation of subnational actors in national climate policy formulation and implementation.
6. Information sharing—Improved systems for data collection, analysis, and dissemination should be developed to support evidence-based decisionmaking at all levels.
7. Regional cooperation—Cross-border collaboration between cities and regions should be encouraged to address shared climate challenges and exchange best practices.

Based on these principles, the following recommendations could enhance multilevel climate governance in the EMME region.

Legal and institutional reforms. National governments should review and reform legal frameworks to grant greater autonomy to cities and regions in climate-relevant policy areas. While Morocco is not in the EMME region, its decentralization reforms of 2011 could serve as an example. Reforms could include:

• Revising urban planning laws to give municipalities more control over land use and zoning decisions that affect climate resilience and mitigation.
• Empowering local authorities to set and enforce stricter building energy efficiency standards.
• Allowing cities and regions to directly access international climate finance mechanisms.
• Ensuring reforms are fully implemented and translate into real devolution of power and resources to local authorities.

Vertical coordination mechanisms. Formal structures should be established for regular dialogue and coordination between national, regional, and local governments on climate issues. Example structures could include:

• A national climate change committee with representation from subnational governments.
• Regular climate policy summits bringing together leaders from all levels of government.
• Joint working groups on specific climate-related topics (for example, renewable energy deployment and water management).
• Clear mechanisms for coordination between regional governors and local authorities.

Horizontal collaboration platforms. EMME countries should facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among cities and regions facing similar climate challenges. This facilitation could involve:

• Creating a regional network of cities committed to climate action, similar to the Covenant of Mayors in Europe.
• Establishing thematic working groups on topics such as urban heat island effects or coastal adaptation.
• Developing a digital platform for sharing best practices and lessons learned in local climate governance.
• Supporting the creation of local associations focused on sustainable development and climate action.

Capacity-building programs. Investment should be made in building the technical and institutional capacities of subnational governments to effectively plan and implement climate actions. This capacity-building could include:

• Training programs for local officials on climate science, policy, and finance.
• Technical assistance for developing local climate action plans and conducting greenhouse gas inventories.
• Supporting municipalities in developing multiyear action plans aligned with regional and national climate strategies.
• Secondment programs to facilitate knowledge transfer between different levels of government.

Fiscal measures and incentives. National governments should develop financial mechanisms to support climate action at the subnational level and incentivize ambitious local initiatives. Potential measures include:

• Establishing a dedicated national fund for local climate projects, with a transparent allocation process.
• Implementing a system of performance-based grants tied to climate action achievements.
• Allowing cities and regions to issue green bonds for climate-related infrastructure projects.
• Ensuring sufficient fiscal decentralization to reduce local authorities’ dependence on central government transfers.

Data and monitoring systems. The availability and quality of climate-related data at the local and regional levels should be improved to support evidence-based policymaking. The improvements could involve:

• Developing standardized methodologies for local greenhouse gas inventories and climate vulnerability assessments.
• Creating a centralized database of climate indicators accessible to all levels of government.
• Implementing regular monitoring and reporting processes to track progress on local climate actions.
• Developing local energy accounting and management systems to track and communicate energy use at the municipal level.

Regional cooperation initiatives. Cross-border collaboration on climate issues should be promoted to address shared challenges and leverage collective resources. Potential initiatives include:

• Establishing transboundary climate adaptation plans for shared ecosystems (for example, the Tigris and Euphrates river basins and coastal areas around the Mediterranean and the Gulf).
• Developing regional renewable energy projects that benefit multiple jurisdictions and encouraging interconnections between regions across borders.
• Creating a regional climate innovation hub to foster technological solutions adapted to EMME contexts.
• Encouraging regional cities to participate in international climate initiatives and city networks to gain exposure to global best practices.

The proposed multilevel climate governance framework for the EMME offers significant opportunities to enhance climate action and resilience in the region. The main opportunities include:

• Accelerated climate action—By empowering cities and regions, the framework can unlock significant mitigation and adaptation potential, helping countries in the EMME region to achieve and potentially exceed their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement.
• Improved policy effectiveness—Aligning climate policies across different levels of government can lead to more coherent, effective and transparent implementation, increasing synergies and reducing inefficiencies and contradictions.
• Enhanced resilience—Local and regional tailoring of adaptation strategies can improve the resilience of communities to climate impacts, addressing context-specific vulnerabilities.
• Economic benefits—The framework can stimulate local green economies, creating jobs in sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable construction, and ecotourism.
• Increased international engagement—Empowered cities and regions can more effectively engage with international climate initiatives and funding mechanisms, bringing additional resources to the EMME region.

Forging Resilience to the EMME Region’s Climate Crucible

The EMME region faces significant climate challenges that require coordinated action across all levels of governance. However, countries in the region have adopted markedly different approaches to climate action. Morocco and Tunisia have made notable progress in decentralization reforms empowered by a social contract that includes climate action in a constitutional and participatory manner. Lebanon’s decentralization efforts remain largely unrealized despite being enshrined in its constitution. Meanwhile, Gulf cities in countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with a techno-investment approach to climate action, have found another approach to empowering city climate action through mechanisms such as the Saudi royal commissions. 

Despite these differences, common challenges persist across the region. Cities in the Levant and North Africa particularly struggle with limited municipal financing for climate action and weak technical capacities at local levels, and most regional cities struggle with insufficient coordination between national and subnational governments. The proposed framework and recommendations here offer a pathway to address these shared challenges while acknowledging the need for locally adapted solutions. 

As the global community intensifies efforts to address climate change, the EMME region has an opportunity to learn from these diverse national experiences. Countries that have made greater progress, such as Morocco with its climate-compatible policies, could provide valuable lessons for others in the region. The journey toward inclusive multilevel climate governance in the EMME region will require different approaches tailored to each country’s institutional and political context. While some cities may be able to pursue ambitious decentralization reforms, others may need to focus first on building basic institutional capacities. Success will depend on recognizing the needs of each city while maintaining focus on the shared goal of enhanced climate action across the region.