Environmental Challenges and Opportunities in Cyprus

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean featuring a diversity of landscapes, habitats and species, with 5 terrestrial habitat types and 8.5 percent of its flora being endemic to the island. The island is an important bird migratory corridor between Europe and Africa and is considered a unique spot when it comes to endemic bird species. Among all EU members, Cyprus has one of the highest proportions of nature protected areas, with over 28 percent of its total surface designated as Natura 2000 network areas. Despite these established protection areas and conservation schemes, Cyprus’ natural environment still faces pressing issues.

In 2021, The Conservation Collective commissioned a scoping report on the region’s natural environmental state which was undertaken by Sofia Matsi. It highlights key environmental threats and opportunities in the region while identifying key individuals and environmental organizations, working on these matters and includes information about these local environmental champions’ initiatives as potential projects Cyprus Environment Foundation’s (CEF) could fund during its first grant giving steps on the island.

The report forms the basis of CEF’s initial grant giving strategy, and in the years to follow, the direction of the foundation’s activities will continue to evolve under the guidance of the CEF’s scientifically-rigorous advisory council, in response to timely environmental issues.

You can download and read the full version of CEF’s scoping report here.

You can download and read the executive summary of this scoping report here.