Filenews 9 April 2024
2023 has set a record, with global temperatures 1°C higher than pre-industrial levels. At the same time, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ("IPCC") confirms that warming is the result of anthropogenic activities, which depend on the burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas).
With the consequences of the climate crisis visible on our health, society and economy, we can no longer ignore the need to immediately and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Terra Cypria-the Cyprus Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and Friends of the Earth Cyprus, through a funded program (European Climate Foundation-ECF), conducted a quantitative survey through electronic questionnaires, lasting seven months, with a total of 425 responses. The survey looked at the transport and energy sectors in the midst of the climate crisis and how they affect citizens at different levels.
Cypriots are dissatisfied with the transport system, 6 out of 10 say they are willing to move by sustainable means as long as an appropriate and safe framework is created.
Cypriots understand that the transport system directly affects health, the environment and the economy and that it needs to be improved, with 96.3% of respondents agreeing with this statement. At the same time, 64% of respondents said they were willing to reduce the use of the car, which – as it turned out – is the most frequently used means (with 78.6% stating that they use it very often), but consider that for the time being this would be impossible.
As expected, the use of bus and bicycle are not the most frequent choices of Cypriots for their transportation. Specifically, 47.5% said they never use the bus, 7% use it quite often and only 1% use it very often. Similarly, for cycling, more than half of respondents (54.3%) stated that they never use it, 32.2% that they rarely use it and only 9% use it quite often.
Regarding foot traffic, the data is more encouraging, with 39.3% of respondents stating that they make their trips on foot quite often, 12% very often, while only 5% said that they never make their commute on foot.
When asked how they think transport in Cyprus could be improved, the most frequent answers concern the need for an improved public transport system as well as greater safety in cycling and walking.
Cypriots are strong supporters of renewable energy and energy self-sufficiency
Cypriots strongly support the production of energy from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) with the percentage reaching 90% while they seem to have a significant understanding of their advantages. The main advantages were the reduction of electricity costs, the energy autonomy of the household/business and self-consumption. Cypriots understand that the current energy production process, which relies on the burning of fossil fuels, is harmful to health (83%), the environment (87.2%) and the economy (74.8%).
Indeed, 7 out of 10 believe that Cyprus can achieve full energy self-sufficiency through RES, while 8 out of 10 pointed to political interests as the main obstacle to a full shift to RES. Other obstacles identified include grid problems, lack of energy storage, dependence on fossil fuels and absence of social energy projects, such as energy communities. Interestingly, the percentage that chose as an obstacle the lack of information about RES (70%), with 66%, however, stating in another question that they "know about support plans provided by the government for the installation and use of RES."
Also, 49.6% said they do not know if their electricity provider (EAC) uses RES to produce electricity.
Despite the positive response for renewables, only 34% have installed RES systems in their households or businesses, with the main factors affecting their installation being purchase costs, incentives, practicality/convenience and, finally, maintenance costs.
Natural Gas is a special case for Cypriots
While 59% acknowledge that natural gas as a fossil fuel is exacerbating the climate crisis, there does not seem to be clear convergence on whether it contributes to the green energy transition. There is also a lack of a clear opinion on whether natural gas is a transitional stage before the full use of RES, with 35% answering yes, 34% "don't know" and 31% no.
As for what the use of natural gas will be, 52% of respondents said that the arrival and export of natural gas is expensive, with about the same percentage of people disagreeing with its use only for export purposes to other countries. The prevailing answer to the question whether there is the appropriate infrastructure for the exploitation of natural gas was "I don't know" (44.5%). The same was observed when asked if EAC has the ability to exploit natural gas (49% replied "I don't know").
The only point where there was convergence of answers was on whether natural gas is being instrumentalized politically, with 77% agreeing.
The main conclusion drawn from the survey is that the majority of Cypriots are ardent supporters of RES and that they support the adoption of measures to achieve sustainable mobility. Therefore, Cypriots seem to be ready to implement and have the culture to promote sustainable solutions in these areas. The survey identified citizens' knowledge problems (e.g. on issues such as energy communities or gas), but also possible solutions that can contribute to the creation of policies and measures that are acceptable and adapted to citizens' real needs.
