Paleoclimate and the human dimension

Conveners: Giovanni Zanchetta, Juerg Luterbacher, Isabel Cacho, Neil Roberts, Elena Ivanova

It includes all aspects of paleoclimate research, and particularly: evolution and transition periods; proxies; simulations; water cycle and ecosystems changes; exchanges between the Mediterranean Sea and other basins; ancient societies and climate (adaptation, water use, food production)

The regional climate system: observations and process studies

Conveners: Emin Özsoy, Gabriel Jordà, Ricardo Trigo, Hadas Saaroni

It includes studies on the various components of the regional climate system and their interactions with contributions on a wide range of topics: teleconnections and regional dynamics; atmospheric physics (aerosol, atmospheric composition, air pollution and climate); atmosphere-ocean-land interactions; water masses and circulation, mixing and renewal processes; upwelling systems, convection, deep water formation; interactions and exchanges across straits and passages; the hydrological cycle of the Mediterranean and Black Sea; sea level variability

Extreme events

Conveners: Andrea Toreti, Haim Kutiel, Katrin Nissen, Elena Xoplaki

It includes studies on all aspects of extreme events from a climate perspective and investigating a broad range of phenomena: Mediterranean summer aridity, droughts, heat waves, wild fires; heavy rain, floods and other hydrological extreme events; thermal extremes including hot spells affecting water masses; extreme winds, storms and severe weather events (such as hail and lightning); sea level and wave extreme events.

Model Simulations of climate variability and climate change

Conveners: Serge Planton, Vincenzo Artale, Ileana Bladé, Levent Kurnaz, Murat Turkes

It includes model studies (both dynamical and statistical approaches) focused on the regional scale and addressing various themes: model improvements for accurate modelling of climate variability and climate change; evaluation of global and regional climate models over the Mediterranean region; expected changes in atmospheric and oceanic mean states and variability including extreme events; evaluation of uncertainties of climate projections

Impacts of natural and anthropogenic climate change and mitigation/adaptation strategies.

Conveners: Ana Iglesias, Francesco Bosello, Christos Giannakopoulos

It addresses impacts on societies, ecosystems, economy, environment and including themes such as: land and marine ecosystem vulnerability and adaptation; resilience of ecosystems to climate change; impacts on coastal management and adaptation strategies; impacts on transport networks and adaptation strategies; socio-economic impact assessments (e.g. the tourism, energy production and *food production *sectors).