Cyprus must strengthen its environmental and climate governance as the island faces mounting pressures from climate change, the environment commissioner Antonia Theodosiou’s office said on Friday in a statement to mark world environment day.

The office said that the day was established by the United Nations in 1972 and has since become the world’s largest platform for raising awareness and mobilising action on environmental issues.

This year’s theme, “Climate Action: Inspired by Nature”, focuses on the protection and restoration of nature as a key response to the climate crisis and a prerequisite for sustainable living.

The office warned that the eastern Mediterranean is among the regions most vulnerable to climate change, with Cyprus already experiencing the effects of rising temperatures, low rainfall, prolonged droughts, pressure on natural resources, biodiversity loss and increasingly frequent and intense wildfires.

According to the statement, these developments are affecting water availability, agricultural production, coastal areas, infrastructure and overall quality of life. The loss of soil moisture, changes in land use, the abandonment of rural and mountainous communities and the impact of wildfires are also increasing the risk of land degradation and desertification.

As an island state, the office said, Cyprus is particularly exposed to climate-related risks, especially those linked to water resources, coastal erosion and infrastructure. Changes in the life cycles of plant and animal species, as well as in natural habitats, have already been observed, the commissioner said.

The statement stressed that protecting land, water resources and biodiversity requires integrated planning, including sustainable land-use policies, water management measures, the protection of Natura 2000 sites and stronger environmental monitoring supported by scientific data.

Nature-based solutions, the protection of soil fertility and the restoration of degraded areas were highlighted as key tools for helping the country adapt to climate change, it said.

The office also said climate pressures now extend well beyond environmental concerns, increasingly affecting public health, energy security, agriculture, civil protection, living conditions, spatial planning and the country’s long-term resilience.

Against this backdrop, the office said discussions on the possible creation of a deputy ministry for climate change and sustainable development should continue, arguing that stronger coordination is needed across policy areas affected by the climate crisis.

The statement further noted that “the division of Cyprus since 1974 and the lack of effective control over around 36 per cent of the territory create additional challenges for environmental planning” and the management of protected areas, given that “ecosystems function as interconnected systems”.

The office called for greater consistency and responsibility from the state, local authorities, the scientific community, civil society and citizens in responding to what it described as an escalating environmental and climate crisis.

“Now is the time to act with greater consistency and responsibility,” the statement said.