Green Peace Movement Says Environmental Policy Is Insufficient

Tel said the “report card is weak,” adding that she would begin her remarks with criticism due to what she described as a lack of meaningful government action. She noted that this year’s global theme focused on climate action, stating that “we are not even in a position to talk about climate in our country,” and stressed the need to “look in the mirror first.”

Highlighting that Cyprus is located in the Mediterranean and is directly exposed to the impacts of climate change, Tel said these conditions further amplify environmental problems created locally.

Referring to waste management, Tel said the issues the movement has been dealing with in recent months are largely unrelated to climate change itself. She stated that waste is being dumped across various locations and that illegal dumping sites are frequently burning. She added that she could no longer refer to the Güngör site as a “regular waste disposal facility.”

Tel also criticised what she described as uncontrolled construction, including tree cutting, unlicensed development and inadequate oversight of building safety. She said the misuse of agricultural land is among the most common complaints received by the organisation and claimed that thousands of acres of forest land had recently been allocated.

Addressing wildfire preparedness, Tel said the role of civil society is not to procure firefighting aircraft but to raise awareness and highlight deficiencies in oversight. She added that organisations such as the Biologists Association and the Green Peace Movement would support such measures if sufficient resources were available.

She also criticised recent statements by the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Hüseyin Çavuş regarding the procurement of firefighting helicopters, saying similar promises had been made in the past without lasting results.

Tel further called for meteorological experts to reassess seasonal patterns, noting that climate shifts have altered traditional fire seasons. She said seasonal firefighting staff should instead be employed on a permanent basis to ensure better training and preparedness.