Filenews 10 July 2022 - by Xenia Tourki
One of the biggest challenges of our time is tackling climate change. As its consequences, extreme and prolonged heatwaves, wild floods and droughts, fires that last for days and burn everything in their path, become more and more noticeable. The need to find solutions before it is too late, becomes more and more urgent. Things, if no action is taken, will get even worse, pointed out to "F", the MEP Dimetris Papadakis, of the Group of Socialists and Democrats, pointing out that for this reason the European Union is taking all the necessary measures to reduce emissions by 55% in 2030, aiming at zero pollutants in 2050.
The problem is even more urgent for Cyprus, which is located in a geographical point, considered a hot spot of climate change. "Southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin are experiencing more intense warming, resulting in us heading towards desertification. With the melting of the ice caps and the rise in sea level, many areas are at risk of extinction", explained the Cypriot MEP.
Therefore, taking measures for our country is a one-way street. Cyprus could be a pioneering country. However, not only is this not the case, but on the contrary it has huge gaps in its effort to transform its economy into a green economy. "Unfortunately, huge mistakes have been made and of course there are also political responsibilities. An unacceptable culture has been created of preferring to pay fines rather than reforming. There is huge bureaucracy, and there is no perception of reality, with the result that to this day Cyprus produces energy from fuel oil", concluded Dimetris Papadakis.
-Extreme weather events have in recent years made their presence strong everywhere, from premature heatwaves to floods. What will the climate be like in ten, twenty years from now unless something dramatically changes?
-The ominous predictions of scientists about the consequences of climate change are confirmed in recent years. Every year we experience more and more intense extreme weather events. Prolonged heatwaves and severe floods such as the ones we had last year in Germany have devastating consequences for both the economy and society. As it is stated, extreme weather and natural phenomena will intensify. Of course, efforts to protect the environment cannot be exhausted today. They take a long time and that is why targets have been set by the European Union to reduce emissions by 55% in 2030 with the aim of having zero pollutants in 2050.
-Which regions of Europe are most at risk?
-There is no region of Europe that is not in danger. However, we would say that the southernmost regions of Europe are most directly affected, suffering in recent years from the recurring heatwaves, something that we are also experiencing in our country. Southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin are experiencing more intense warming and as a result we are heading towards desertification. With the melting of the ice caps and the rise in sea levels, many areas are in danger of extinction. Of course, the northernmost regions are also facing problems resulting from unusual storms resulting in catastrophic flooding. We have seen in northern Europe or even in Siberia unusually high temperatures. It is not only Europe that is at risk. The entire planet is in danger. It wasn't long ago that an extreme heatwave hit India that resulted in electricity systems collapsing due to increased energy consumption from the operation of air conditioners, leading the country's residents into very difficult conditions. It is obvious that the effects are devastating throughout the world.
-What can we do to prevent the consequences of climate change? Do you see the necessary measures being taken, or every time a new problem arises, such as the increase in energy prices, the environment takes second place?
-There is a significant delay in the implementation of the policies that have been decided. The response to the pandemic as well as the energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine, have created new conditions. We are seeing countries like Germany returning to the use of lignite and coal in order to be able to solve the serious energy problems. If it were not for this dependence on fossil fuels and we made more use of renewable energy sources there would be no regression. On the contrary, the effort could continue more vigorously so that we can reach the objectives set.
-How much has the pandemic affected, but also the conflicts around the world? What has the war in Ukraine taught us on the occasion of Europe's dependence on Russian fossil fuels?
-The biggest lesson that emerges from the war in Ukraine is that no country is allowed to be energy dependent on one country and only one source of energy production. What was happening, where EU countries had invested in almost total dependence on Russia and its natural gas, was both economically and strategically wrong. And it turns out today that they are paying the cost of these decisions. It is clear that the pandemic has acted as a deterrent to the implementation of the Green Deal as the effort focused on the fight to deal with it.
-What can Cyprus do to be able to keep up with the goals of the green economy set by the EU?
-Cyprus has huge gaps in its effort to transform its economy into a green economy. Unfortunately, huge mistakes have been made and, of course, there are also political responsibilities. An unacceptable culture has been created of preferring to pay fines rather than reforming. There is a huge bureaucracy, and there is no perception of reality, with the result that to this day Cyprus produces energy from fuel oil. Cyprus could become a model country for the entire EU, for the whole world by harnessing solar energy. It is unacceptable that, in 2022, Cyprus is dependent on fuel oil while it could, by utilizing solar energy, be an exporter of electricity to the rest of Europe. We should move forward quickly. The various authorities should stop interfering with obstacles, and all this money paid as fines for not producing energy with clean energy, should be given to citizens so that they can install photovoltaics in their homes and businesses.
We are lagging behind in the effort for a circular economy. We see what happens to the landfills and Cyprus having become a vast wasteland instead of all these materials being recycled. There is an unjustified delay in the implementation of these policies, with the result that in spite of one, we are forced to run again to reach the objectives that Cyprus has also agreed to achieve with the other EU countries.
The EU is dynamically ahead
-How does the European Union contribute to the fight against climate change?
-The European Union is a pioneer in the fight against climate change. It is the EU that actually led to the Paris Agreement. It is the EU that first announced the Green Deal. It is a question of these announcements, these efforts and policies finding other accomplices to implement them at the pace that the EU adopts and implements them. The other "roommates" on the planet, America, Australia, Russia, Canada, Asia should contribute in the same way as the EU to achieve a positive result. Unfortunately, there are phenomena that do not let us be optimistic, such as what is happening with Asian countries, which are increasingly using coal to meet their energy needs.
-The European Union is considered one of the pioneers in measures to save the environment. But how much is the point of one region of the world turning green and the others continuing to pollute, given that climate change knows no borders?
-The whole effort will have no meaning if the rest of the regions of the planet, which continue to pollute, are not involved. Europe is responsible for only 8% of the world's environmental pollution. Therefore, countries such as the United States of America, China, Russia, Australia, Canada must immediately enter into the logic of the common struggle to try to save the environment.
