The report takes a strategic approach to the issue of natural heritage and hazards, considering two main elements; human activity, which represents demand on resources, and natural heritage that represents supply of resources, and attempts to assess the interaction between these two. During the course of compiling the study it became obvious that one of the major weaknesses is the lack of adequate information. In particular, information regarding land use and the urban environment is very limited.

The emphasis of this report was placed on land and water resources, which are considered the two most strategically important issues in assessing the pressures facing natural heritage in Cyprus. Nevertheless, every effort has been made to include a number of other indicators, so as to allow the comparison with other regions.

A key element of the study is the split between natural heritage and human activity. The purpose of this split is to allow the assessment of the development needs arising out of the current and projected human activity and compare it with the availability of natural resources. This comparison allows an assessment to be made as to whether the current and projected development needs or means of meeting demand are indeed sustainable as well as the degree of their sustainability.

The research was carried out within the SEMSON (South Eastern Mediterranean Spatial Observatory Network) project which operates under the European Programme ARCHIMED of the EU initiative INTERREG III Β.

The study concludes that the quality of the environment remains quite good. However, the repercussions of the 1974 Turkish invasion and the rapid economic development that followed over the last three decades in the government controlled part of the island, linked with rising standards of living and considerable changes in lifestyles, have led to a variety of environmental pressures and strains on the country’s natural fabric.
However, while efforts are made in the area of environmental protection, there is still a gap in terms of sustainable development which would balance development pressures on the one hand and the need to preserve the environment and natural resources on the other hand.
The researcher concludes that one of the major issues is the need for more detailed information on the environment and development trends in order to assess and plan development in a sustainable way, to ensure that the ability of future generations to meet their needs is not compromised. This gap is particularly prevalent with regard to the construction industry, especially in the housing market, and the use of land which over the years has become an important sector of the national economy.

Department of Town Planning and Housing, Ministry of the Interior
Constantinos Alkides (Town Planning Officer, Representative of Cyprus in the SEMSON project), tel. +357 22408221

01/02/2005

01/10/2006

Stephan Georgiades

research

Urban Policy

Urban environment, Security & crime prevention