Category: News

Source: https://emme-care.cyi.ac.cy/new-care-c-project-to-develop-a-bioaerosol-network-aimed-at-detecting-the-presence-of-sars-cov-2/ July 2020 Researchers of the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center of the Cyprus Institute and the Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, in collaboration with the Nicosia General Hospital, and with the support of the Republic of Cyprus’ Ministry of Health and Ministry of Interiors, are developing and evaluating the benefits of implementing an easy-to-operate Bioaerosol Network aimed at detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, within indoor atmospheric environments. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the value of a “Bioaerosol Network” for monitoring the presence of airborne SARS-CoV-2 within large indoor public areas (such as shops, offices, residential buildings and others). This is to alert on the potential risk of local contamination, and allow for immediate mitigation actions (such as shutdowns and disinfections). If operated continuously, such bioaerosol networks could act as early warning systems to geolocate the presence of new infectious clusters, information which is strategic for combating the large-scale spreading of the virus. According to...

Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/best-ways-tackle-air-pollution-climate-change-together/  06 Jul 2020 Richard Fuller Electrifying public transport is one way to lower both air pollution and carbon emissions Image: REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido  Prevailing wisdom holds that measures to tackle air pollution will also tackle climate change, and vice versa - but this is not always the case.A new report has identified the most effective interventions for addressing both issues at once. When we look at air pollution and climate change, we see two dire situations: 1. People, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), are becoming ill and dying prematurely because of the poor quality of the air they breathe. Air pollution is linked to an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths a year, according to the World Health Organization.   When indoor air quality is considered, that number rises by an estimated 2.9 to 4.3 million deaths a year, according to The Lancet Commission.  2. Glacial ice is melting, droughts are becoming more prolonged, extreme weather events are more common, and cities around the world are reporting...

Source: https://euobserver.com/green-deal/148778  By Elena Sánchez Nicolás Brussels, 29. Jun, 07:05  Air pollution causes around 400,000 premature deaths every year in the EU (Photo: Friends of the Earth Scotland)  The European Commission now estimates that a majority of member states are off-target to deliver on their air pollution reduction commitments for 2020 and 2030. In its first report on progress towards EU air pollution targets, the commission said that member states need to step up efforts to make sure their citizens can breathe clean air. Every year, air pollution causes about 400,000 premature deaths in the EU and hundreds of billions of euros in health-related external costs. "We need more effective measures to cut pollution in member states and to tackle air emissions across sectors, including agriculture, transport and energy," EU commissioner for the environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said on Friday (26 June). The analysis, based on EU countries' emissions projections submitted to the commission last year, estimates that just 10 member states will meet its 2020 air pollution reduction...

Source: https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/06/26/room-for-improvement-but-cyprus-on-track-to-lower-polluted-air-emissions/  By Jonathan Shkurko June 26, 2020 A EU study published on Friday revealed that, like most European countries, Cyprus needs to step up efforts across all sectors to make sure citizens can breathe clean air, preventing respiratory diseases and premature death. The study points out how Cyprus did not submit a national plan outlining its emissions reduction commitments before the deadline set for May 24, 2019. However, it also said that the country was currently complying with a EU directive obliging member states to lay down national plans for air pollution control programmes. “As a result of this compliance with existing measures, Cyprus is not obliged to adopt additional policies,” the report said. “The study shows that Cyprus is planning to meet its commitments to reduce emissions by 2030.The reports shows that the main contributors to polluted air emissions stem from energy production, industrial factories’ combustion, road transport, solvent use and agriculture.Moreover, the overview of the Cyprus national plan to lower polluted air emissions shows...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200624-has-covid-19-brought-us-closer-to-stopping-climate-change?ocid=ww.social.link.twitter  By Emily Kasriel  25th June 2020  “I was so worried about the dangers of going too far,” says Sally Capp, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, when she now thinks about her pre-pandemic leadership on the environment. The leader of Australia’s second most populated city believes Covid-19 has helped her clarify what’s important to her as an individual and as mayor. “I have become much more resolute about my values, prioritising humanity and protecting the environment, so they can play a larger role in driving my agenda.”  The pandemic has created the most significant economic shock since the Great Depression, besides being a public health crisis like no other in living memory. The existential threat that it has posed has set many individuals, cities and national leaders on a new track. In Capp’s case, it has meant taking very different decisions on the environment, leading in a way that focuses on what’s truly important. Capp believes this trend needs to continue post Covid-19. There is indeed a large movement to “build...

Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-cyprus-big-pollutant-lockdown.html  June 4, 2020  A woman walks past a closed souvenir shop in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the third phase of the country's gradual rollback of restrictions will be completed by June 24 instead of July 14. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)  Researchers in Cyprus offered more evidence on Thursday that a two-month lockdown benefited the Mediterranean island nation's environment.  Preliminary results showed significantly reduced levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides along a normally busy street and in a suburb of Nicosia between February and April compared to the same period last year. Both pollutants are produced by fossil fuel use.  The study by researchers at the Cyprus Institute's Climate and Atmosphere Center showed that carbon monoxide levels dropped by 28% and 23% respectively along the street and in the suburb. Levels of nitrogen oxides dropped 57% and 67% respectively. Most cars stayed off Cypriot roads between March and May during a government stay-at-home order that included...

Source: https://www.philenews.com/koinonia/eidiseis/article/948928  01 Ιουνίου 2020 Δυσοίωνες είναι οι προβλέψεις για τα πυκνά δάση και τη χαμηλή βλάστηση στην Κύπρο, καθώς οι ερευνητές βλέπουν μακριές περιόδους ξηρασίας καθώς και αυξημένο κίνδυνο πυρκαγιών. Ενδεικτικά, στα ακραία σενάρια της κλιματικής αλλαγής, υπολογίζεται ότι περιοχές της Λευκωσίας και της Λεμεσού θα αντιμετωπίσουν ανομβρία μέχρι και έξι συνεχόμενων χρόνων. Πρόκειται για τους υπολογισμούς ενός συστήματος έγκαιρης προειδοποίησης, το οποίο δημιουργήθηκε στο πλαίσιο ευρωπαϊκού προγράμματος από επιστήμονες της Κύπρου, της Ελλάδας και της Βουλγαρίας.  Όπως σημείωσε στον «Φ» ο ερευνητής του Ινστιτούτου Κύπρου στο τμήμα Περιβαλλοντικών Προβλέψεων, Γιάννης Προεστός, προσφέρεται η δυνατότητα βραχυπρόθεσμης και μακροπρόθεσμης πρόγνωσης, μεταξύ άλλων και για τις πυρκαγιές, σε μια περίοδο που πρέπει να προωθηθεί η αντιπυρική προστασία. Ειδικότερα, ο κ. Προεστός σημείωσε πως δημιουργήθηκαν αρκετοί διαδραστικοί χάρτες, ανάμεσα στους οποίους και ένας για κλιματικές προβλέψεις. Ο πρώτος χάρτης, βάσει αριθμητικών μοντέλων εκτιμά τις κλιματικές εξελίξεις του μέλλοντος σε βάθος 30 χρόνων. Για τις ανάγκες της πρόβλεψης, οι επιστήμονες εργάστηκαν πάνω σε δύο εκδοχές. «Στο πρώτο...

Source: https://www.financialmirror.com/2020/05/24/covid19-time-for-a-green-reboot/  24th May 2020 by Kyriacos Kiliaris Coronavirus and shutting down businesses as a result of the lockdown imposed to stem the outbreak is a great opportunity for a Green reboot of Cyprus’ economy and society. Experts and stakeholders are urging countries trying to restart their economy to consider Greener solutions that would give it a boost as there is a lot of room to advance Renewable Energy Resources technologies. In comments, the Financial Mirror, Cyprus Green MP Charalampos Theopemptou, said the COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world and Cyprus with a golden opportunity to address environmental issues pushed aside by governments for decades. “One of the things that has astonished scientists is how much the quality of air has improved in major cities. In Cyprus, the air quality was found to be 6 times better than before the outbreak.” The former Environmental Commissioner noted that as in most countries, the drastic changes in the quality of the air during lockdown reveals that, not much has...