‘There Is No Other Cyprus’ — One Island, One Environment, Two Communities

On Thursday, 2 April 2026, the Ledra Palace Hotel hosted the screening of the documentary ‘There is no other Cyprus: Mapping environmental destruction in the island’s north,’ followed by a panel discussion on the environmental challenges facing Cyprus. The event was organised by UNFICYP in collaboration with the British Council Cyprus, as part of the United Nations Youth Champions for Environment and Peace programme.

The screening brought together an engaged and thoughtful group of Cypriots from across the divide, united by a shared concern for the island’s fragile environment and a genuine desire for cooperative solutions.

About the Documentary

The film shines a spotlight on how over-construction, waste mismanagement, mining, and plastic pollution are degrading Cyprus’s ecosystems — on both sides of the divide. Its central message is urgent: environmental destruction does not respect political boundaries, and neither can its solutions.

Panel Discussion

The screening was followed by a panel featuring three speakers with deep expertise in Cyprus’s environmental landscape:

Sofia Matsi, Cyprus Environment Foundation; Mete Hatay, PRIO Cyprus Centre; and Feriha Tel, Cyprus Green Action Group.

Sofia Matsi’s address drew on the stark realities of climate change in Cyprus: over 80 percent of the island is already at high risk of desertification, rainfall has dropped by approximately 20 percent in recent decades, and projections suggest a further reduction of up to 35 percent over the next 25–50 years — with up to two additional months of extreme heatwave days annually within half a century.

CEF’s executive director also highlighted the cross-boundary dimension of biodiversity: loggerhead turtles nesting in the north have been tracked to foraging sites in the south, and the successful Barn Owl nest box programme — which can eliminate the need for rodenticides with one barn owl family consuming between 2,000 to 6,000 rodents every year. The project has recently expanded north of the dividing line supporting the increase of barn own populations in both regions. At the same time, she noted troubling negative spillover effects: illegal bird trapping in the north continues to supply demand in the south, and weaknesses in northern legislation are being exploited resulting to unfortunate wildlife poisoning incidents due to illegal poison usage in the south sourced from the northern part of the island.

Together, the panelists explored pathways toward sustainable and bicommunal solutions — making clear that cooperation across the divide is not just desirable, but ecologically necessary.

“The documentary’s message, on over-construction, waste, mining, biodiversity loss and pollution, sparked meaningful discussions about our shared environment and the urgent need for intercommunal action on climate change. Together, we can map a better future for Cyprus.”

— Maria Tsiarta, UNFICYP

Looking Ahead

The event demonstrated that solution-oriented dialogue across communities is not only possible, but already underway. The Cyprus Environment Foundation remains committed to fostering such conversations and to advocating for cooperative action on the environmental challenges that threaten our shared island.

For more information about the documentary and to arrange a screening in your community contact: mete@prio.org

 

Photos: UNFICYP