Şerife Gündüz: “Agricultural production is in danger with the climate crisis”

Prof. Dr. Şerife Gündüz evaluated the climate crisis for the Cyprus Post due to the World Climate Day. Şerife Gündüz also gave messages for our country, underlining that the UN Secretary-General drew attention to the climate crisis by saying “red alarm for humanity” at the 2021 climate change panel. Noting that extreme climate events, extreme temperatures, heavy rains, drought and floods have begun to be experienced in our country, Gündüz said, “The world that is getting warmer and being one of the countries that will be most affected inevitably worries us. With the climate crisis, agricultural production is also in danger.”

“CYPRUS IS ONE OF THE “SENSITIVE HOT SPOTS” IN CLIMATE CHANGE”

Gündüz gave the following statements in his assessment to the Cyprus Post:

“The world has a very critical threshold ahead of it. This threshold is to keep global warming at 1.5 degrees, to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030, and to reach net zero by 2050.

The countries emitting the most carbon are produced by China, the USA, India, Russia and the European Union, respectively. Our contribution to carbon emission is only a handful of countries compared to the above countries. I would like to draw your attention here. Cyprus is one of the “sensitive hotspots” in climate change. Here we can talk about the injustice of the climate. The fact that our contribution is at the lowest level does not mean that we will not be affected, on the contrary, we are registered as the 5th most affected country among the EU countries.

“THIS WILL BE MORE CLEAR IN FUTURE”

Extreme climate events in our country have begun to experience extreme heat, heavy rains, drought and floods. Forest fires, infertility of our land and heat waves affect our country. The poor in developed or developing countries, children, women, those who pollute the nature least suffer more, and this will become more evident in the future. There are already huge socioeconomic inequalities in the world. The climate crisis is reshaping them.

We can define this situation as a security problem, not only in an ecological sense, but also in an individual and economic sense. Environmental crises and climate crisis threaten the existence and security of the whole world and nations. Of course, this will not be limited to the climate. Water scarcity, food insecurity and migration will reshape life.

“5000 hectares of forest land burned in our country in 2020”

At the 2021 climate change panel, the UN secretary drew attention to the climate crisis by saying "red alert for humanity".

In our country, 5000 hectares of forest land was burned in 2020. When we look at the highest temperatures, this corresponds to the last 10 years. The world that is getting warmer and being one of the countries that will be affected the most, inevitably worries.

“WE MUST PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT OUR CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANS”

Along with the current economic crisis, the food crisis is also on the agenda. With the climate crisis, agricultural production is also in danger. We need to create a state policy on this issue. We must prepare our adaptation studies, our plans, and take our measures. We have disrupted the order of nature and are rapidly heading towards collapse. We need to prepare and implement our Climate Adaptation plans. In short, if we do not include climate, water, food and energy security among our priorities, we will not find a country where we can live in the future.

Life on the planet is under threat, we have damaged the cycles of nature with human influence, we have left water resources, soil, biodiversity, all the services that nature provides us with the threat of oppression and extinction. But we are forgetting something very important, the most important services that nature provides us, which is essential for our life! Think about how long we can live without oxygen, water and food…”