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- Ελληνικά
In December 1972, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating June 5 each year as World Environment Day and since then it has become the largest platform for raising awareness of environmental issues around the world.
"Our Earth, Our Future. We are the generation that can make peace with the Earth, We are the #GenerationRestoration." This is the slogan of this year's World Environment Day, highlighting the importance of restoring the Earth, fighting desertification and building resilience to drought.
Our Earth: it feeds, clothes and protects us. It sustains our lives and our livelihoods. Today, the future of our country, the future of our planet, is at stake.
We degrade 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land every year, amounting to up to 40% of the world's land. Our soils - which take hundreds of years to form - are disappearing within minutes, affecting some 3.2 billion people worldwide.
Cyprus, once the "green island", the "forest island" with forests cleared in ancient times for copper production as well as other human activities, is now at the centre of the climate crisis. We are experiencing prolonged periods of oligotrophic conditions, severe weather events, rapid loss of biodiversity, and soil erosion. Our country is already suffering from the phenomenon of soil desertification, which it is important to note is primarily due to human activities exacerbated by extreme climatic events. The loss of land and the land's ability to reproduce is a blow to the economy, nature, security and our lives. There is an urgent need to implement a strategy against land sealing and to carry out projects that restore nature and are environmentally friendly. Their environmentally friendly management is imperative.
Greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants are also critical issues. Cyprus, like many other countries, pays a high price for emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants that contribute to climate change and air quality degradation. The economic impact of the fines and charges for these emissions is significant, further highlighting the need for action and change.
We must properly and immediately manage the island's marine and terrestrial Natura 2000 sites and other valuable areas, as well as the valuable agricultural and traditional man-made landscape.
Our future lies in changing our relationship with mother earth.
Our future lies in changing our relationship with mother earth. Only if we re-establish our relationship with nature will we be able to live in harmony and balance, without nature being endangered by man and therefore without man being endangered by nature.
Our efforts need to be directed towards the sustainable use of natural resources, the introduction of environmentally clean technologies, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, and the prevention, control and mitigation of pollution. Our actions can minimize the impact of land degradation, drought and desertification.
The Office of the Environment Commissioner participates in all efforts and actions taken for the conservation and sustainable management of the Akamas Peninsula and for the harmonious coexistence and development of man in synergy with the environment.
The Office of the Environment Commissioner participates in all efforts and actions taken for the conservation and sustainable management of the Akamas Peninsula and for the harmonious coexistence and development of man in synergy with the environment.
We are working on proposals to improve the legal regime regarding civil society's access to justice for actions that harm the environment.
We have launched pilot actions through partnerships with Community Clusters to assist their transformation into climate-neutral clusters and, more generally, in their efforts for the environmental management and development of their areas. At the same time, the development of a national climate neutrality standard and/or guide has been launched, in cooperation with other competent bodies and the Cyprus Standards Organisation.
We organise workshops, participate in lectures and conferences on environmental justice, environmental education and know-how, green transition, sustainable mobility, sustainable development, circular economy, etc.On this World Environment Day, let us commit ourselves, state and citizens, to work and strive every day to restore the earth and protect the environment to ensure a sustainable and prosperous present and future.
(ASP)
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Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
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