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- Ελληνικά
First of all, I would like to congratulate the Limassol Municipality, the non-governmental organization Oxygen for Democracy and the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) for organizing this apt and comprehensive forum.
The holding of the Cyprus Forum Cities underlines that in a modern country, constructive dialogue, cooperation and synergies between different partners, such as the Government, Parliament, local government, the academic and research community, businesses and civil society, are the foundation for sound policies with a substantial impact on society for the benefit of the country and its citizens.
We are living in an era of generalised climate deregulation, with extreme weather events, a steep loss of biodiversity, air, water and marine pollution, soil pollution and desertification, etc. We are facing the greatest challenge facing humanity, which is not only a natural disaster but also a direct threat to human life and survival itself.
The scientific evidence is there and it is overwhelming. Indiscriminate human activities, overconsumption, the use of energy resources obsessed with fossil fuels for power generation and transport, intensive agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as decades of inaction on environmental issues, make it imperative to address, or rather accelerate, efforts to adapt at the collective level to the new conditions of climate chaos.
It is no longer enough to be environmentally aware. We need to radically change our lifestyles, policies and practices. The environmental approach and remedial measures must be at the heart of our strategies and overall planning through targeted interventions, and it is evident that this is exactly what is being sought through the programme of the present administration, which is reflected in government policies already being implemented while others are being launched.
I look forward to this forum examining in depth, the resilience of infrastructure in both urban and rural areas, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, the resilience of the natural environment, and the resilience of the natural environment. In practice this means moving to a zero-emission economy, and emitting into the atmosphere only those gases that can be absorbed by the main natural carbon sinks which are forests, oceans and soil. At the same time, in the area of national land use planning, in order to achieve the climate neutrality objective, the 'Fit for 55' legislative package was adopted in the EU, which includes carbon capture in the land use sector, in addition to rules on emissions trading and the setting of national reduction targets.
With the aim of a green transition, and setting as priorities the sustainable economy, the protection of the environment and the improvement of the quality of life of citizens, our country continues on the path towards climate neutrality through the national action plan for the circular economy, the acceleration of the transition to renewable energy sources, as well as the adoption of measures for energy storage.
The fact that in the northern geographical part of the island the European acquis is not in force and not implemented until the eventual solution of the Cyprus problem is problematic as far as and environmental issues are concerned, even if some European programmes are being implemented on a fragmented and small scale through appropriate channels of cooperation and adapted policies.
The island is a single ecosystem and this cannot be cancelled, but what about, for example, the reduction of greenhouse gases in the northern part of the island in areas not controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, and the production and management of waste? There are some proposals regarding the joint production of energy from renewable energy sources, even for the waste-to-energy plant. At NGO level, there is cooperation on the issue of environmental protection, as well as dialogue in the framework of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on the Environment. The results are currently not visible and/or measurable.
But to return to the challenges we are called upon to meet, I would like to stress that the central state alone cannot act as effectively as required. It needs the synergy of citizens, institutions - academic and research -, businesses and, above all, local government, which, through the implementation of its reform in June, will be able to promote structured relevant policies at local cluster level, in terms of sustainability.
But improving sustainability indicators is not just about reducing emissions. The linear make-use-drop model is no longer sustainable on a planet with finite resources. A shift towards circular and efficient operations is required, maximising the utility and longevity of products based on the nine principles of the circular economy.
The Office of the Environment Commissioner, among other things, has set as a priority to assist community clusters on a pilot level to become sustainable and climate-neutral clusters, based on the relevant European directives, by implementing green, friendly sustainable development practices, protecting the landscape and soils, restoring nature and improving the quality of life of citizens. At the same time, through the actions and synergies of the Commissioner's Office, the adoption of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves model is sought in other regions, in the context of which the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations for a sustainable and equitable economy and society are also considered.
To sum up, the environmental acquis in Cyprus, national and European policies as well as local decision-making and implementation structures are important and interrelated factors for effective environmental protection.
