At the global level, the majority of nations are now participating in international climate negotiations with the aim of mitigating the impact of climate change and adapting to the consequences. The issue of water, which is addressed in this fourth Water Think Tank booklet, is critical to both of these efforts, especially for countries around the Mediterranean. These countries will be particularly heavily hit by the consequences of global warming, since it will make fresh water resources on the southern shores increasingly scarce during summer and cause severe flooding on the northern shores during other seasons.
The Water Think Tank Méditerranée is an initiative that was launched by the Prince Albert II Foundation in March 2009 during the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul. Founded in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Plan Bleu, the International Office for Water and the Veolia Environnement Foundation, it aims to foster dialogue in order to promote sustainable and integrated water resource management within the Mediterranean Basin.