The presidents of Mediterranean countries in the Arraiolos Group have adopted the Joint Declaration “Appeal for the Mediterranean” to address the climate crisis amidst catastrophic forest fires and other natural disasters befalling the Mediterranean Basin. 

The Mediterranean Basin, known for its picturesque landscapes and tourist attractions, has been experiencing unprecedented conditions of scorching heat, providing stark evidence of the pressing climate change challenges faced by Europe.

Six heads of state, including Croatia’s President Zoran Milanović, Greece's President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Slovenia's President Nataša Pirc Musar, and Malta’s President George Vella called for collective efforts to halt and reverse the climate crisis effects. Their call extends to all Mediterranean countries, the European Union and the international community.

The presidents stressed that the climate crisis has reached alarming proportions, with the UN secretary-general recently referring to it as a “state of boiling”. 

“The urgency of the situation leaves no room for political or economic compromise; immediate and effective action is imperative,” the presidents said. 

 "Our duty is to adopt concrete policies and raise public awareness, educating and inspiring everyone to embrace environmental responsibility, not just for our present but for the future of our children and generations to come," they added.

Recent data from the Mediterranean Heat Waves Monitoring Service has confirmed that the sea surface temperatures in the region reached an all-time high of 28.71C on July 25, surpassing the previous record set of 28.25C in 2003. 

Tourism, a significant economic driver in the region, is also bearing the brunt of climate change impacts. Greece, a popular tourist destination, has seen thousands of visitors evacuated from fire-ravaged islands like Rhodes and Corfu.

Other countries in the Mediterranean have also been severely affected. Spain’s temperatures have risen to unprecedented levels of 15 degrees above normal summer season levels, while Italy’s Sardinia faced blistering heat of 48C. Croatia witnessed a heatwave that claimed six lives, while wildfires continue to threaten the Greek islands, forcing mass evacuations. 

“Weather whiplash” is causing severe weather swings in Italy, says Dr. Giulio Betti, meteorologist at the Italian National Research Council.

"Northern Italy is on the border between two different air masses, or jet streams. The southern one came from the Sahara Desert which is very dry and capable of creating a huge quantity of humidity and moisture. At the same time, northern Europe is touched by cool and unsettled air masses from the north Atlantic. This mix of different air masses triggers exceptionally severe changes in weather," Betti told Euronews Green. 

The jet stream conflict also impacts border regions like northern Spain and the Balkans, leading to weather extremes compared to northern Europe. 

Although jet streams and other weather systems play a role, some experts point to a clear association with human-induced climate change. According to the World Weather Attribution group, the recent heatwaves in Europe have become at least 950 times more likely due to global heating, The Guardian reported.

While the exact cause of the fires remains unconfirmed, local authorities suggest some could be the work of arsonists. But climate experts and fire risk specialists agree that rising temperatures and prolonged heatwaves have led to faster and larger fires in the Mediterranean region. 

"Fire risk increases rapidly when there are periods of prolonged hot weather, which allow the soil and vegetation to completely dry out,” Dr. Matthew Kasoar from Imperial College's Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment, and Society told The Independent.

He also emphasised that climate change has intensified heatwaves' severity, frequency and duration, exacerbating fire risks.