Cypriots expect more jobs, better quality of life from green transition

Three out of four Cypriots believe climate policies will improve their quality of life, according to a survey conducted by the European Investment Bank.

Released on Tuesday, the EIB Climate Survey aims to assess how people feel about climate change all over Europe.

Aside from an improvement in their quality of life, 73 per cent of Cypriots also believe the green transition will be a source of economic growth, a higher percentage compared to the EU average of 56 per cent, and 66 per cent are convinced policies to tackle climate change will create more jobs than they eliminate.

However, 36 per cent also expect to have to move to another region or country in the future because of climate change, with the figure increasing to 45 per cent among people aged 20 to 29.

Moreover, 25 per cent of Cypriots interviewed believe that the climate emergency will be under control by 2050, whereas 72 per cent feel that it will still be a serious issue by mid-century.

Another pattern that clearly emerged from the survey is that Cypriots are conscious of the behavioural shifts that are needed to tackle climate change, as nearly one-third of respondents (29 per cent) believe that most people will no longer own a car in 20 years and 77 per cent say they think that most people will be working from home to contribute to the fight against climate change.

Lastly, 51 per cent of Cypriots think most people will have to adopt a plant-based diet and 70 per cent predict that an energy quota will be allocated to each individual.

“Cypriots are among the most enthusiastic in the European Union as regards the green transition,” EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova said.

“They see clear opportunities for their quality of life as well as for the job market in the policies designed to fight climate change. Meanwhile, they are also concerned — young people in particular — about the long-term impact of climate change and the potential need to move to another place.”