Coordination between AKEL and environmental organisations for the promotion of environmental policies

 

2 December 2023, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

Against the backdrop of the climate conference currently underway in Dubai, AKEL held a meeting with environmental organisations today. In his introductory intervention, the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou noted that “against the backdrop of the COP28 conference and what is happening around the world on the environment, AKEL is continuing its discussions with environmental organisations on the numerous environmental issues our country faces”. The meeting is a continuation of previous meetings that preceded it.

The General Secretary of AKEL said that “the environment has reached its limits and now the issue of saving life on the planet is an urgent priority”. “For this reason,” S.Stefanou pointed out, “we need coordinated action on a global scale and effective policies in order to be able to save the environment”.

AKEL, noted S. Stefanou, considers that “what we use today, we have borrowed from future generations and we have to make sure that we pay back this loan”. “We have to act in a way so as to safeguard the future of the next generations.”

Finally, Stefanos Stefanou, listing a number of environmental issues Cyprus faces today such as the Akamas issue, the issues of illegal developments, animal welfare, the non-implementation of the acquis communautaire in relation to the environment and the issues regarding green transition, noted that “the aim of the meeting is to discuss all these problems that exist in our country and AKEL as a parliamentary party will continue to intervene either to prevent situations or to take actions to improve and safeguard the environment in Cyprus.”

A number of problems were highlighted during the discussion and specific proposals were made both for improving the legislative framework to promote environmental protection and for the implementation of the laws. Particular reference was made to the existence of the necessary political will for environmental protection and for the promotion and implementation of specific policies, which unfortunately has not existed in recent years, with the result that environmental problems have increased.

The General Secretary of AKEL stressed that AKEL will continue to convey the voice and proposals of environmental organisations inside Parliament and to develop actions for the formulation of a holistic spatial policy for the whole of Cyprus, which is necessary for long-term planning to be possible.

The meeting was also attended by Neoklis Sylikiotis, Member of the Political Bureau of AKEL, Christina Nicolaou Head of Environment and Energy Policy of the Party and Marina Nicolaou, AKEL MP.