The impact of the Cyprus problem on the protection ofthe environment

The report argues that the 'Cyprus problem' negatively impacts the environment by preventing the collection of island-wide data, isolating the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) from international oversight and funding, and causing political considerations to overshadow urgent ecological needs. While the UN-controlled buffer zone has inadvertently preserved some endemic species, the author warns that this 'green zone by default' is increasingly threatened by illegal dumping and development. The report recommends utilizing bicommunal Technical Committees and UNDP support to create shared environmental datasets and coordinated strategies for water scarcity and wildfire management.

• The frozen conflict prevents the creation of a complete environmental picture of Cyprus because the island is divided into different de jure and de facto jurisdictions with separate rules and agendas. This leads to inaccurate representations, such as the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) claiming the best water quality in the EU while coastal areas outside its control have some of the highest microplastic levels globally.
• The non-recognition of the TRNC results in political and economic isolation that undermines environmental protection. Political isolation precludes international and European oversight, leading to issues like illegal mining in NATURA sites such as the Pentadaktylos. Economic isolation leads to the deprioritization of costly but essential infrastructure, resulting in sewage being regularly spilled into the sea due to outdated systems and non-compliant building codes for luxury hotels.
• Political priorities related to the Cyprus problem frequently overshadow environmental urgency. This is evident in the energy sector, where the RoC has vetoed transferring natural gas through Turkey and faced hesitation regarding an electricity interconnector with Greece and Israel due to geopolitical risks, even when such options might be economically or environmentally viable.
• Water scarcity is a critical issue exacerbated by a lack of bicommunal cooperation. The RoC relies on reservoirs—resulting in the highest per capita reservoir capacity in the world—and desalination, which damages sea ecosystems. Meanwhile, the TRNC imports water from Turkey via a pipeline, a solution Greek Cypriots distrust due to political concerns and Turkey's own water scarcity.
• Wildfire management lacks a coordinated island-wide strategy despite the fact that fires frequently cross the buffer zone. While some limited cooperation exists, the RoC has previously declined firefighting assistance from Turkish Cypriots during the summer of 2022 to avoid allowing TRNC-flagged vehicles into its territory.
• The UN-controlled buffer zone serves as a critical habitat for endangered species, including river turtles and the Cyprus moufflon, because it is largely undisturbed by urban development. However, this benefit is precarious as the zone is used for illegal dumping and is subject to 'green zone by default' status without proactive environmental management.
• Bicommunal cooperation is possible but often delayed or ignored. Examples include the successful joint management of the Mia Milia/Haspolat wastewater treatment plant and a 2013 oil spill cleanup in the Karpasia/Karpas Peninsula. However, other initiatives, such as a 2022 wildfire management workshop's recommendations, remain unimplemented.

APA

Hadjigeorgiou, N. (2024). The impact of the Cyprus problem on the protection ofthe environment. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/afc5f9c2-86f9-4bc2-8c6b-ac1cd97840f5/PCC Report 1 2024.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Hadjigeorgiou, Nasia. The impact of the Cyprus problem on the protection ofthe environment. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2024. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/afc5f9c2-86f9-4bc2-8c6b-ac1cd97840f5/PCC Report 1 2024.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hadjigeorgiou |first1=Nasia |title=The impact of the Cyprus problem on the protection ofthe environment |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2024 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/afc5f9c2-86f9-4bc2-8c6b-ac1cd97840f5/PCC Report 1 2024.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hadjigeorgiou2024impact, author = {Hadjigeorgiou, Nasia}, title = {{The impact of the Cyprus problem on the protection ofthe environment}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2024}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/afc5f9c2-86f9-4bc2-8c6b-ac1cd97840f5/PCC Report 1 2024.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }