National Action Plan and Programme of Measures towards Combating Desertification in Cyprus. Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Cyprus.

National Action Plan and Programme of Measures towards Combating Desertification in Cyprus

The project’s aim was the preparation of a National Action Plan to combat desertification in compliance to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and in line with all relevant national legislation, and the elaboration of a Programme of Measures.

Client: Environment Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Cyprus

Region: Cyprus

Type: Environmental Policy, Environmental Information Management

Duration: 08/2007 – 12/2008

Other Partners: –

The main objectives of the project were:

• Elaboration of a National Action Plan to combat desertification based on the obligations that arise from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and all the relevant national legislation.
• Identification of Environmentally Sensitive Areas threatened by desertification in Cyprus
• Elaboration of a Programme of Measures to combat desertification
• Public awareness and consultation

The tasks that were successfully completed and the services that were provided were:

• Detailed analysis of the obligations that arise from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and all the relevant national legislation that need to be incorporated in the National Action Plan for Cyprus
• Identification of the factors and processes that contribute to desertification with particular reference to the conditions of Cyprus. The main factors were climate, topography, vegetation, geology, soil, hydrology and anthropogenic impacts. The main processes that were analysed were erosion, reduced rainfall in recent years, non sustainable irrigation methods, chemical pollution, etc.
• Based on the current situation and the possible trends, future predictions for the desertification were elaborated under various scenarios.
• Based on the current situation and the possible trends, future predictions for the desertification were elaborated under various scenarios.
• Elaboration of the National Action Plan to combat desertification, which included:
  • • Identification of Environmentally Sensitive Areas threatened by desertification
    • Evaluation of current policies and measures, including policies in other relevant aspects such as Rural Development Plan, Water Policy, Forest Action Plan, CAMP, etc.
    • Assessment of the need for further more efficient institutional arrangements and procedures
• National strategy to prevent and combat desertification and promote sustainable land use and water resources management
• Identification and proposal of concrete and practical measures necessary for the prevention and combating of desertification and mitigation of the effects of drought
• Prescription of the role of the State, local government and land users
• Assessment of the required resources (financial, institutional and technical) to implement the national Action Plan and the Programme of Measures.
• Extensive awareness and consultation campaigns with the public and stakeholders