Greenhouse gas emissions rise in Cyprus

Cyprus recorded the highest increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union, rising by 9.1% in the third quarter of last year. Eurostat says the main reason for the jump was a sharp increase in electricity consumption caused by the abnormal summer heat and intensive use of air conditioners, along with the island’s heavy reliance on fuel oil for energy.
While emissions across the EU as a whole fell by an average of 7.1% thanks to the shift to renewable sources, Cyprus showed the opposite trend due to the slow pace of modernization in its energy sector. Environmentalists stress that without a radical increase in the share of green energy and the introduction of storage systems, the country’s overall environmental indicators will continue to deteriorate.