Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus is experiencing increasingly apparent drying conditions and rising temperatures as climate change intensifies in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region. Rural communities in Larnaca district are beginning local initiatives aimed at responding to these changes.
Cyprus in a regional climate hotspot
Cyprus is part of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region, described as a climate change hotspot spanning 24 countries and around 400 million inhabitants.
The Cyprus Institute has worked with German and Finnish researchers through the EU Horizon Europe programme on a “Climate Change and Impact” report that outlines a trajectory of hotter, drier and dustier conditions.
Local action in Larnaca’s mountain villages
In the mountain villages of rural Larnaca district, particularly Kato Drys and Pano Lefkara, residents are beginning to take action through community-led approaches.
In Pano Lefkara, a Socrates Café group has formed with support from Andreas Shoshilos, former mayor of Lefkara, who leads the Cultural Association and represents the Cyprus Greens.
Weekly gatherings focused on everyday questions
The group’s secretary, Stas Balaur, invites residents every Wednesday evening to meet at either House 1923 coffee shop or the Mola Culture Factory, both described as community spaces.
The meetings are organized around a single question and are not structured as expert lectures. Participants take part as equals, focusing on everyday issues and listening rather than debating.
What questions about climate change and daily life in your community would you want discussed in a local forum?