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Good evening and thank you all for being here tonight.
I also thank the Youth of Ecologists for co-organising the event, the Nicosia Municipality for the facilities provided for the event, the Nicosia Music School and especially the children who are with us today, the storyteller George Papaconstantinou who will send us messages of life, as well as the supporters of the event, the Cyprus Energy Office, the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Association, the Ecological Movement of Cyprus and the 10th edition of the event.10 COSMOS, for their cooperation and organisation of the activities.
Before referring to the theme of tonight's event, I cannot but express my shock at the deadly terrorist attack last night in Moscow with the victims being unsuspecting civilians, as well as at the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, which are neighbouring Cyprus, noting that nothing is far from us in the world and that everything concerns us.
"Earth Hour" tonight. Humanity is facing another crisis, the climate crisis. In this global, symbolic and collective hour, we become one, we turn off the lights to send a resounding message. Earth Hour does not mean an hour of darkness. On the contrary, turning off the lights illuminates the path we must follow towards a brighter, more sustainable future for our planet, for us, for generations to come. The planet is collapsing and sending out a distress signal! It is up to all of us to respond...
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the warming of the climate system is undeniable. The recent Climate Report of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also states that in 2023 new (negative) records were set in every indicator: record temperatures and greenhouse gas levels, ocean acidification, sea level rise, retreating glaciers.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres states: The planet is on the "brink of destruction" while "fossil fuel pollution is causing unprecedented climate chaos." The climate chaos we face is a triple threat: to the environment, society and the economy, and is inextricably linked to the loss of biodiversity, extreme weather events - heat waves, drought and desertification of land, wildfires - food insecurity, human health and well-being. The cause and most of the warming is attributable to our own human activities, such as greenhouse gas emissions, continued unsustainable production, overexploitation of resources, unsustainable management of nature and soils, overconsumption, non-use of renewable energy sources and environmentally sustainable means of transport.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is the most significant environmental health risk in the European Union (EU). In the EU it causes around 400,000 premature deaths every year and the external costs in terms of health impacts amount to hundreds of billions of euros. Particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and tropospheric ozone are the air pollutants responsible for most of these premature deaths, causing more than 1,000 on average every day, which is more than ten times the number of road accident victims. Particularly exposed are people living in urban areas, around a quarter of Europeans.
Since World Wildlife Fund Australia's (WWF) first call in 2007 to turn off the lights for an hour to raise climate awareness, today the movement has spread globally and by 2023 over 7,000 cities in 190 countries were participating in Earth Hour, a figure of 97% worldwide.
Since the first call by the World Wildlife Fund Australia (WWF) in 2007 to turn off the lights for an hour to raise climate awareness, today the movement has spread globally and by 2023 over 7,000 cities in 190 countries were participating in Earth Hour, a figure of 97% worldwide. This call has been transformed into a powerful symbol of unity and people's commitment to protect the environment by harnessing the power of collective action, it has sparked debate, it has informed, it has inspired tangible changes, large and small, both locally and globally. However, although symbolically lasting only one hour, the constant goal is to call for actions and measures to tackle the climate crisis, from all of us, every day.
According to the European climate legislation and in the context of adaptation to climate change, EU countries are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 with the aim of making the EU climate neutral by 2050. Cyprus' main objective is also to achieve these green targets by implementing the necessary measures, such as, among others, a large number of grant schemes and other adaptations to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy use and storage solutions, the promotion of the circular economy, the promotion of electromobility, the reform of green taxation and the implementation of Green Communities. At the same time, the Cyprus Energy Office, following a mandate from the current administration, is already working on similar actions and activities with municipalities and is developing a climate neutrality strategy for all communities in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.
Furthermore, the Office of the Commissioner has initiated actions for the adoption of policies related to natural and bioclimatic building, the protection of the natural and cultural landscape, as well as the protection of our built and intangible heritage, the protection of the coastline and is involved in actions for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity.
Earth Hour reminds us of our inextricable and non-negotiable relationship with the environment and that urgent action is needed at a global level, with citizens, governments and businesses united, for a more sustainable world and a prosperous society in perfect harmony with nature.
Thank you for your attention and for your active participation in this most important hour for the planet and humanity.
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