Climate change mitigation - State and impacts (Cyprus)

Emission of greenhouse gases without LULUCF (land use, land use change and forestry) increased by 93.6% between 1990 and 2008, which corresponds to GHG emissions of 4,932 Gg CO₂ equivalents. 76% of the emissions without LULUCF in 2008 were from the sector of energy, compared to 67.5% in 1990. The increase is caused primarily by the increase in the emissions from road transport. The largest contributor to the emissions is CO2 with 84% in 2008 compared to 80% in 1990 whereas CH4 and N2O decreased from 14% to 10% and 6% to 5% respectively. In 1990 no emissions have been reported for f-gases, whereas in 2008 they contributed 1% to the total emissions. More details are available in the annual GHG (greenhouse gases emissions) report 2010 [3].

The available information from the National Meteorological Service (2009) has shown a decrease in precipitation and increase in the temperature. Precipitation reduced from an average annual precipitation in the first 30-year period of the century of 559 mm, to an average precipitation in the last 30-year period of 462 mm, corresponding to a decrease of 17%. The average precipitation in the last decade of the century is among the lowest values for the various decades of the century. Average annual temperature in Cyprus, both in urban and in rural areas, present an increasing trend. In Nicosia the average annual temperature increased from 18.9°C in the first 30-year period of the century to 19.7°C in the last 30-year period, i.e. an increase of 0.8°C.

The changing climate has already an impact in the environment of the country. Water scarcity, desertification, increase frequency in wildfires and deteriorating forests are the impacts that Cyprus has already experienced.