Europe’s Green Transition: New Areas of Conflict and Cooperation in Divided Cyprus

The document argues that while the discovery of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean increased tensions between Turkey, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus, the shift toward decarbonization offers a new opportunity for inter-ethnic cooperation. It emphasizes the need for a policy framework for the electrification of transport, buildings, and industry, and warns that new European grid projects (EuroAsia and EuroAfrica Interconnectors) could inadvertently isolate the Turkish Cypriot community if the existing interconnector between the north and south is terminated.

• The transition to renewable energy presents a risk of repeating past patterns of competition and confrontation in Cyprus, necessitating a commitment to regional energy market integration and climate neutrality to avoid this outcome.
• Past hydrocarbon discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean failed to encourage cooperation and instead led to disputes over maritime jurisdictions and explorations involving Turkey, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) since 2011.
• There is an urgent need for a cooperative policy framework to address the decarbonization and electrification of industry, buildings, and transport across the entire island.
• The existing electricity interconnector between the northern and southern parts of Cyprus serves as a model for technical cooperation despite political division and should be maintained to support peace and stability.
• The prospective EuroAsia and EuroAfrica Interconnector projects, while ending the Republic of Cyprus's isolation from the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E), could lead to the further isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community if the existing north-south grid is terminated.

APA

Sülün, E. E. (2022). Europe’s Green Transition: New Areas of Conflict and Cooperation in Divided Cyprus. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3ba3e250-cd01-4fc6-a896-95eec62d8636/2 2022 Europes Green Transition.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Sülün, Emine Eminel. Europe’s Green Transition: New Areas of Conflict and Cooperation in Divided Cyprus. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2022. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3ba3e250-cd01-4fc6-a896-95eec62d8636/2 2022 Europes Green Transition.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sülün |first1=Emine Eminel |title=Europe’s Green Transition: New Areas of Conflict and Cooperation in Divided Cyprus |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2022 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3ba3e250-cd01-4fc6-a896-95eec62d8636/2 2022 Europes Green Transition.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sln2022europes, author = {Sülün, Emine Eminel}, title = {{Europe’s Green Transition: New Areas of Conflict and Cooperation in Divided Cyprus}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2022}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/3ba3e250-cd01-4fc6-a896-95eec62d8636/2 2022 Europes Green Transition.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }