Nicosia: Rising sea levels that could go up to one metre by the end of the century could put half of Cyprus' coastlines at risk of disappearance if immediate measures are not taken, warned on Wednesday Dr. Stavros Malas, President of the Cyprus Institute. Malas made his remarks during the opening session of the international conference on natural resource management, held in Nicosia.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Dr. Malas also spoke of an impending crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean region due to climate change. This is expected to bring a temperature rise of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, prolonged heatwaves, and extreme rainfall events.
In her speech, Environment Commissioner, Antonia Theodosiou, stated that the strategy for natural resource management forms the fundamental principle, while the real challenge lies in its implementation. Developing a reliable regional action framework, the Commissioner said, is essential, as policy approval must translate into measurable outcomes. Such a framework, Theodosiou concluded, should set realistic targets and indicators, clarify government mechanisms for cross-sectoral cooperation, and establish structures for coordinating funding.
"The conference brings to the forefront the critical and interconnected challenges facing the Mediterranean, such as water scarcity, energy transition, food security, and climate change, while promoting integrated and realistic solutions for the sustainable management of the region's natural resources," stated the Cyprus Institute in an announcement.
The opening session of the international conference titled 'The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus in the Mediterranean Corridor, from Source to Sea - From Strategy to Action' took place at the Cyprus Institute.