NICOSIA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus has registered the sharpest increase in greenhouse gas emissions among European Union (EU) member states over the past two decades, according to data released by Eurostat on Tuesday.
Between 1999 and 2023, emissions in Cyprus rose by 52.4 percent, while most EU countries recorded significant reductions, the EU's statistical service said.
Green Party lawmaker Charalambos Theopemptou told the Cyprus Mail that the rise was mainly driven by the energy, industrial, transport and building sectors.
He attributed the trend to the island's limited public transport, limited use of renewable energy and reliance on oil, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of electricity generation.
The fiscal council of Cyprus warned on Monday that government spending on addressing climate risks remains far below what is needed, citing a lack of infrastructure and policies to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The EU has set a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, with greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced by 55 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. ■
