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Cyprus Declaration on Climate Change: | English | Arabic | Hebrew | Turkish | Greek | (PDF, approx. 4 mb)

Introduction

In January 2010, the Cyprus Institute hosted the international conference ‘Energy, Water and Climate Change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East’. At the conference, scientists rang loud alarm bells over climate change.  All speakers stressed the need for cooperation between countries at a regional and global level to address the negative impacts caused by climate change.

At the end of the conference, the Organizing Committee formulated the 'Cyprus Declaration on Climate Change'. In this declaration, it is stressed that 'the Mediterranean and the Middle East constitute one of the largest and most populous areas on Earth where the adverse effects of climate change will be severely manifested'. According to the Committee a combination of sea-level rising, rainfall decreasing and temperatures rising will be especially damaging in these regions.

To battle these effects, the Committee recommends internationally coordinated efforts. Recommendations included the immediate availability of scientific, technological and agricultural solutions such as saline agriculture, the pursuit of innovative low-carbon technologies, including the use of solar power, the establishment of a culture for data sharing, improving the quality and availability of environmental data as well as the promotion of coordinated scientific positions in the international debate of the countries in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

In his opening address at the Conference, the President of the Republic, Mr. Demetris Christofias, expressed the support of the government in the effort to address the impacts of climate change nationally, regionally and internationally. The President said that Cyprus will take the lead in addressing the negative impacts of climate change, both independently and through the mechanisms of the EU and the Union for the Mediterranean.

A special mention was made to the fact that the government is the main financier of an international comprehensive study prepared by the Cyprus Institute for the detailed understanding of the effects of climate change in our region. The government is also funding research for a pilot program for the production of the cogeneration of electricity and desalinated sea water using solar power. In a symbolic act, the government of Cyprus marked the beginning of a policy of adapting the built environment on energy requirements for a responsible and sustainable approach by announcing its intention to convert the historic building of the Presidential Palace of Cyprus to a zero emission and zero energy deficit building.

More information on the conference can be found on the conference website: http://ewacc.cyi.ac.cy