Nicosia, Cyprus. Breakwaters have become a common response to coastal erosion in Cyprus, but environmental experts say their widespread use may create new risks for other parts of the coastline. They say coast-specific studies are needed before such measures are implemented.
Breakwaters increasingly used along the coast
Visitors to Governor’s beach over the past year may have noticed large tetrahedron-shaped blocks piled up further up the coast. Though such structures are typically visible in the water rather than on shore, they are a form of breakwater commonly used in Cyprus.
With Cyprus’ coastline facing increasing erosion, breakwaters have become the standard solution. In Paphos district, a tender was recently issued for 16 additional breakwaters to complement those already in place.
Concerns over wider impact
Environmentalists say the growing number of breakwater projects reinforces long-standing concerns about their broader effect. While they are intended to protect beaches from erosion, experts warn that protecting one beach with a breakwater can increase risks for another beach further along the coast.
This can lead to further erosion in adjacent areas, creating pressure for additional breakwaters along the shoreline.
Human activity cited as main cause
Around 80 per cent of Cyprus’ “soft-coastal” areas, made of natural materials such as sand or gravel, are currently under severe human-made erosion, according to Xenia Loizidou, a civic engineer and United Nations ambassador for coastal protection in the Mediterranean.
Loizidou said the main causes are tourism, sand mining and construction work within the coastal buffer zone. She also identified the long-term construction of dams as a factor, saying they reduced river flow and the sediment carried by rivers that previously replenished beaches.
Call for alternative solutions and studies
“Breakwaters are one of the available technical solutions, but it’s a heavy solution and we cannot just implement it anywhere,” Loizidou said.
She warned that breakwaters have been used excessively to combat erosion without sufficient consideration of alternatives.
Loizidou said the needs of different coastlines can vary significantly and stressed the importance of comprehensive studies to determine suitable solutions for erosion prevention and environmental protection.
