Republic of Cyprus Second Voluntary National Report - Sustainable development goals

35 Focus areas GREEN TRANSITION TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE – STATE OF PLAY The transition towards environmental sustainability is the area in which the performance of Cyprus suffers the most relative to the majority of EU countries. In particular, the main challenges that Cyprus faces concern energy efficiency; the elevated level of greenhouse gas emissions; water scarcity and, sustainable waste management. Nevertheless, Cyprus has overachieved the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) target for 2020, maintains the excellent water quality of its bathing sites, and is currently in the top 5 EU countries in the surface of terrestrial sites which are protected within the framework of Natura 2000. Despite the huge challenges Cyprus faces towards a green transition, it continues to make efforts for the improvement of all its environmental indicators, so as to reach the 2030 climate targets and decarbonisation by 2050. In its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the necessary measures for achieving the 2030 targets are enumerated. To put this into effect, the country has already ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and continues to absorb environmentally targeted EU funds. Setting the Scene—National Energy and Climate Plan In January 2020, Cyprus prepared and submitted to the European Commission its Integrated NECP, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action. The national targets for the next decade are looked into in detail in this NECP on a mid-term basis, up to 2030, and should serve as a basis for an ambitious long-term strategy aiming towards the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Therefore, the decarbonisation dimension is the first and foremost component of the NCEP structure. The implementation of the NECP 2021-2030 is a key and integral part of the implementation of the European Green Deal (GD) in each member state. To this end the Council of Ministers has approved a new structure for the Green Deal Governance which operates under the political guidance of a six-member Ministerial Committee. Challenges In order to meet the EU targets toward the green transition, Cyprus is facing various challenges related to triggering green investments in households, enterprises, as well as in municipalities, communities, the public and wider public sector and NGOs; making buildings, transport and other facilities and processes more energy and resource efficient; preserving the environment and enhancing biodiversity and wildlife. Investment needs to reach the national energy efficiency and renewable energy target for 2030 are considerably high while sustainable mobility and alternative environment friendly fuel infrastructure will have to be restructured. The capacity of the competent authorities to prevent and respond to natural or manmade natural disasters will need to be upgraded and reforms will be introduced regarding more efficient water management. Targeted Measures and Policies The reduction of waste production and the management of waste are promoted through the Waste Prevention Programme 2015-2021 and the Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2015-2021, with measures covering the three main policy pillars: regulatory measures to implement the separate collection of waste, measures to reduce waste in all sectors and incentives for the reduction and appropriate management of waste, such as the establishment of a Pay-As-You-Throw scheme, as well as information and awareness- raising measures to change production and consumption patterns. The measures