Limassol can lead efforts for climate neutral island

As one of the participants in the EU’s Cities Mission for climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, Limassol can spearhead efforts towards climate neutrality for the whole of Cyprus, deputy minister of research, innovation and digital policy Kyriacos Kokkinos said on Tuesday.

The Cities Mission aims to provide grants to 100 chosen cities from all EU member states with the final goal of helping them become climate neutral by 2030.

Kokkinos led a meeting at Limassol municipality on Tuesday to discuss ways of cooperation with local authorities so that the city can respond to the challenges required to secure funds from the programme, for innovation in areas such as energy, waste management, transport and infrastructure among others.

Congratulating the municipality for securing a spot among the 100, Kokkinos said his deputy ministry’s help is a given “because I believe that it is not only a matter of a climate-neutral and smart Limassol, but a climate-neutral and smart Cyprus”.

In the context of state efforts to improve the people’s quality of life, Kokkinos said he believed Limassol’s participation in the programme can be a good way “to experiment, to claim funds and projects which, starting with Limassol, will put Cyprus high on the map of climate-neutral cities in Europe.

“Our experts have already rolled up their sleeves and I believe that with what we have agreed today and with the regular meetings we will have to monitor developments, Limassol, and by extension Cyprus, will achieve its goals,” he said.

For his part, mayor Nicos Nicolaides spoke of the importance of drawing up a strategic plan for this “intensive and demanding challenge, which can help Limassol become a smart and climate-neutral city in the next eight years”.

Nicolaides said that he and Kokkinos agreed to form a steering committee to help coordinate all projects with government departments, educational institutions, research centres, the private sector and civil society, “so that we can submit this strategic plan in time and start claiming funds for its implementation”.

As the goal of the programme is for the 100 participating cities is to positively influence the rest of Europe’s cities, the mayor expressed confidence that whatever Limassol gains from these projects will be channelled to other cities in Cyprus.