Aglantzia, Cyprus. Cyprus could face sea level rise of up to one metre by the end of the century, putting nearly half of the island’s beaches at risk, Cyprus Institute president Stavros Malas said at a conference on natural resource management.
Warnings on coastal and regional impacts
Malas said climate change is driving an escalating crisis across the Levant and warned that without immediate measures, half of Cyprus’ beaches could be at risk of disappearing.
He cited additional projected impacts for the region, including temperature increases of three to five degrees Celsius, prolonged heatwaves and more frequent extreme rainfall events. Malas said Cyprus is particularly vulnerable due to its geographic position and must move from strategy to action.
Calls for coordinated scientific and political response
Malas said he had earlier reiterated to European fisheries commissioner Costas Kadis that rising sea levels around Cyprus threaten the entire island, and he called for coordinated scientific and political responses.
Implementation focus and regional framework
Opening the conference, environment commissioner Antonia Theodosiou said strategies for natural resource management are essential but that implementation is the main challenge.
She said a credible regional framework should include political backing, clear targets and indicators, effective cross-sectoral cooperation, and coordinated funding structures.
Conference aims
The conference, hosted by the Cyprus Institute, brought together governments, scientists, international organisations and financial institutions to promote integrated solutions. Organisers said its aim is to strengthen the link between science and policy and support climate resilience in the Mediterranean.
What steps do you think Cyprus should prioritise to protect its coastline and improve climate resilience?
