International Masters in Green Economy Management for Arid & Semi-Arid Climate Zones (GreenMAS) seeks to address the urgent need for specialized education in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies tailored to the unique challenges of arid and semi-arid (ASA) regions. Covering nearly 40% of the Earth's habitable surface and hosting a third of the global population, ASA zones are characterized by large populous urban settlements, scarcity of water resources, diminishing agriculture & fading rural economies, mass migrations, and in most cases, a lack of comprehensive environmental policies. By 2050, over 200 million people in 6 regions, including Central Asia and North Africa where 2 of the proposing HEIs are located, are projected to be forced into climate-induced domestic migration, while temperatures in these regions will rise at a faster rate, leading to accelerated melting of glaciers, rapid desertification, and all forms of natural disasters. Despite the urgent need for immediate and actionable plans to enhance socio-economic and environmental standards, there is currently no specialized program to equip students with the skills necessary for sustainable policymaking and climate change response in these particularly vulnerable zones. The experts gathered from HEIs in and outside of the EU to propose the GreenMAS aim to bring the wealth of expertise on climate change and sustainable development on the ground where it is needed the most and offer the students a cohesive curriculum focused on managing and sustaining the transition to a green economy in the targeted areas. Key objectives: a) Bridging the knowledge gap and promoting knowledge transfer in and out of regional scholarly circles, b) Bridging the gap between academia and practice in target zones by equipping students with practical policymaking skills, and, c) Promoting a 'Just Transition', emphasizing the need for a concerted and inclusive approach to addressing climate change impacts.
International Masters in Green Economy Management for Arid & Semi-Arid Climate Zones (GreenMAS) seeks to address the urgent need for specialized education in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies tailored to the unique challenges of arid and semi-arid (ASA) regions. Covering nearly 40% of the Earth's habitable surface and hosting a third of the global population, ASA zones are characterized by large populous urban settlements, scarcity of water resources, diminishing agriculture & fading rural economies, mass migrations, and in most cases, a lack of comprehensive environmental policies. By 2050, over 200 million people in 6 regions, including Central Asia and North Africa where 2 of the proposing HEIs are located, are projected to be forced into climate-induced domestic migration, while temperatures in these regions will rise at a faster rate, leading to accelerated melting of glaciers, rapid desertification, and all forms of natural disasters. Despite the urgent need for immediate and actionable plans to enhance socio-economic and environmental standards, there is currently no specialized program to equip students with the skills necessary for sustainable policymaking and climate change response in these particularly vulnerable zones. The experts gathered from HEIs in and outside of the EU to propose the GreenMAS aim to bring the wealth of expertise on climate change and sustainable development on the ground where it is needed the most and offer the students a cohesive curriculum focused on managing and sustaining the transition to a green economy in the targeted areas. Key objectives: a) Bridging the knowledge gap and promoting knowledge transfer in and out of regional scholarly circles, b) Bridging the gap between academia and practice in target zones by equipping students with practical policymaking skills, and, c) Promoting a 'Just Transition', emphasizing the need for a concerted and inclusive approach to addressing climate change impacts.