Climate adaptation - Revision and Update of Cyprus National Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change

The Commission is supporting Cyprus in updating the National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan, and creating a framework to step up action by addressing the problems identified by Cyprus Initiative for Climate Change, also in view of the updated EU framework on climate adaptation.

Context

Climate change adaptation became more urgent as temperatures rose and extreme weather events increased. With climate-related disasters doubling compared to the prior two decades, delaying adaptation exacerbated future challenges, stressing agro-food systems, infrastructure, ecosystems, and human health. Cyprus had adopted its National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) and Action Plan (NAP) in May 2017, led by the Ministry of Agriculture. The strategy update aimed to address implementation issues and align with the new EU Adaptation Strategy, targeting climate resilience by 2050. President Anastasiades' Cyprus Initiative for Climate Change focused on regional action plans but highlighted insufficient funding for crucial adaptation policies in the Eastern Mediterranean-Middle East. Hence, revising the national strategy became imperative, enhancing EU-wide governance capacities for climate adaptation actions and knowledge sharing among Member States.

Support Delivered

The support measures involved:

• Revision and update of the national climate adaptation strategy, taking into consideration the new available information on climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region, as well as the new EU adaptation strategy.
• Support for the deployment of a climate-related risk assessment and stress test.
• Strengthen the institutional, administrative and sectoral capacity of the Cypriot authorities to deal with climate adaptation and enhance stakeholder engagement on this topic through trainings and workshops.
• Assess nature-based solutions for their inclusion in the climate adaptation strategy and provide a comprehensive package of actions representing holistic solutions to climate adaptation issues.

Results achieved

The project aimed at the adoption of a new, revised, National Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change and Action Plan for Cyprus. To support this update, the Cypriot authorities also intended to base this new policy framework on an updated climate risk assessment, as well as updated governance structures at both regional and national level.