Climate change and water resources in the Mediterranean region
In view of the creation of a free trade area by 2010-2020, it is increasingly important to fuel euroMediterranean partnership and gradually aim at the construction of a high quality agricultural and agrifood system. To this end, the horizons of research should be widened to cover the big issues of the Mediterranean agriculture, among which those related to the impacts of climate changes and water resources on Mediterranean agriculture. It is thus of interest to examine the relationships between northern and southern Mediterranean countries as well as the consequences the new global challenges have on all the Mediterranean countries and the primary sector, and that should be faced through common strategies aimed at safeguarding the common resources of the Mediterranean, that is of the Mediterranean identity: climate, vegetation, typical agricultural products, the Mediterranean diet. Stressing the relationships between climate, water and agriculture is fundamental. Agriculture is, in fact, the biggest water user of a finite rather than an inexhaustible resource. In many Countries, agriculture is the second cause of greenhouse gas emissions and is strongly affected by climate change and global warming