The Mediterranean is an overheated sea. This favours the formation of extreme weather events, among other consequences. Recent data show that, in 2025, the sea surface temperature is 21.7 °C — that is, 1.8 °C above the average (1998–2022).

The warming of the sea, together with above-average air temperatures, causes thermal expansion — meaning an increase in the volume of water in the western Mediterranean. All of this has led to a rise in sea level of between 10 and 11 cm since the 1990s.

The rising sea level and record water temperatures remind us that the climate emergency is real. This week marks the start of the Climate Summit (COP30) in Brazil, as an urgent meeting point and dialogue between states, organizations, and civil society. The goal is to assess progress made in recent years since the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol (2002) and the signing of the Paris Agreement (2015).

We hope that concrete commitments will be reached to address the climate crisis, that multilateral relations will be strengthened, and that action will be taken — as the United Nations’ motto says.