Deadline for submission: September 20, 2024
The fourth edition of the conference will explore recent research on the challenges of climate change and debt. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces a confluence of pressing challenges and overlapping shocks. The region stands out as a global hotspot for climate shocks. These events, characterized by increased frequency and intensity in recent years, inflict a disproportionate economic burden on the region. The existing strain on water and land resources due to economic development, urbanization, and population growth is further exacerbated by climate shocks, shrinking the availability of already scarce resources. These vulnerabilities are compounded in some countries by high levels of public and private debt accumulated over the past decade. Higher interest rates in advanced economies and tighter financial conditions exacerbates the situation and limits the ability to implement much-needed reforms to adapt to and mitigate against climate shocks. The ongoing global economic slowdown, exacerbated by ongoing conflicts in the region and geopolitical tensions, further complicates the picture. These successive shocks increase uncertainties in MENA economies and affect households and firms as result.