Climate Change: Global Problem, Local Solutions
On the occasion of May 15th, World Climate Change Day, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedef Çakır, a faculty member of the Faculty of Engineering at Cyprus International University (CIU), shared her assessments on the impacts of climate change and the necessary measures to be taken. She emphasized that long-term changes in atmospheric parameters are leading to serious consequences on a global scale. Çakır noted that global temperatures have increased by 1.1°C compared to pre-industrial times and warned that this rise could reach 1.5°C by 2025. She stated that this seemingly small temperature difference is felt worldwide through severe weather events, droughts, floods, and wildfires. Reminding that the Eastern Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, she highlighted the critical importance of local actions and societal awareness in the fight against climate change. Evaluating the concrete steps taken by CIU to combat the climate change issue, she said: "In order to achieve the sustainable development goals—including climate action—various activities and initiatives are being carried out for goals such as waste management, energy efficiency, and clean energy."
1. What is climate change and how does it affect the world?
In meteorological engineering terminology, when we talk about climate, we refer to the long-term (30-year) averages of atmospheric parameters such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. These parameters may show increases or decreases over the years; however, when we look at the overall trend, they tend to remain within a certain range. Climate change can be considered as deviations of these parameters from their long-term averages. Today, when we mention climate change, what usually comes to mind is global warming. This is because the increase in gases known as greenhouse gases—or more commonly referred to as carbon emissions—has led to a global rise in average temperatures of 1.1°C compared to pre-industrial levels. According to projections, this increase could reach 1.5°C by 2025. Although this temperature change may seem small, it manifests itself worldwide through more frequent and intense extreme weather events, stronger winds, increases in the number and severity of heatwaves, changes in rainfall patterns, reduced snowfall, increased drought, and on the other hand, more frequent floods. Each region may be affected differently by this temperature change. Since some regions may be more sensitive to these changes, the impacts of climate change should be searched on a regional basis.
2. What are the specific effects of climate change on our country?
According to the 6th Assessment Report (AR6, 2021–2023) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Eastern Mediterranean region—which includes the island of Cyprus—has been identified as one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, meaning it is among those that could be most severely affected. In particular, expected impacts in our region include increased temperatures, more frequent and intense heatwaves, decreased precipitation, and consequently, drought, water scarcity, and a higher risk of forest fires. As a result of all these changes, public health may be negatively affected, biodiversity could decline, and economic losses may occur. Additionally, due to reduced agricultural yields, problems in food supply could arise.
3. What is the connection between events like rising temperatures, droughts, floods, and forest fires and climate change?
As mentioned earlier, climate change today is largely considered in terms of global warming—meaning a rise in global average temperatures. Many countries have broken temperature records during certain months, and 2023 was officially recorded as the hottest year on record. A temperature increase of 1.45°C was observed compared to pre-industrial times. In July 2023, China experienced record-breaking heat, as did British Columbia in Canada in 2021. All these rising temperatures have had impacts on drought conditions, agriculture, and energy production.
• Rising temperatures + decreasing precipitation + increasing evaporation = drought
• Rising temperatures + increasing evaporation + dried-out soil = increased risk of forest fires
4. What steps should our country take to combat climate change?
In our country, the Regulation on Methods and Standards to Be Followed for Environmental Protection and Pollution Prevention and the Environmental Law No. 8/2012 include provisions aimed at preventing and controlling air pollution. This law outlines general principles such as protecting the environment, improving it, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources. However, I’m not entirely sure to what extent it includes strict enforcement measures. If necessary, the Environmental Law should be revised and concrete steps should be taken. Additionally, a climate change committee was established.
An emissions inventory must be created. If we don’t know or monitor our potential polluters/emission sources, we cannot understand our contribution to climate change, nor can we determine the measures we need to take. Raising public awareness is absolutely essential. Promotional incentives could be implemented to encourage the public to reduce energy consumption, taxes could be lowered, and loans could be provided for the installation of renewable energy systems.
5. What is the impact of agreements like the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015 and entered into force in 2016, is a relatively recent accord aimed at keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels—or ideally limiting it to 1.5°C. As long as the commitments made under this agreement are fulfilled, it can be quite effective. However, the weakness of such agreements lies in the fact that countries' targets and commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not mandatory or legally binding. The only binding aspect is that countries are required to report their progress and update their targets every five years through monitoring mechanisms. Still, I believe that every step taken and every effort made is valuable—especially when the alternative is doing nothing at all.
6. What role do universities and research centers play in green energy and carbon emissions?
Universities and research centers are institutions with significant intellectual potential and scientific research capabilities. They play a key role in the fight against climate change by educating experts and engineers who will contribute to sustainable environmental and development planning. Research is being conducted to develop new technologies that make renewable energy sources more efficient and practical. Developing environmentally friendly technologies that promote energy savings should be a priority for these institutions. In addition, work should be carried out to develop air pollution control devices—which play a critical role in reducing carbon emissions—and to improve their efficiency. Our universities can guide the fight against climate change by creating sustainable development plans. They can also raise public awareness by organizing conferences and seminars to promote climate change awareness in society.
7. What measures can individuals take in their daily lives to combat climate change?
As individuals, we can calculate our carbon footprint to understand how much we contribute to carbon emissions through our daily activities. Our impact is not limited to just the electricity we consume directly—it also includes factors like the length of our showers, the types of transportation we use (cars or air travel), and the amount of meat we consume. Being aware of this, we should aim to change our consumption habits as much as possible. We should unplug devices we’re not using to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, use environmentally friendly technologies, and opt for low-emission vehicles. Whenever possible, we should use public transportation or consider carpooling with coworkers instead of commuting alone. We must also instill environmental awareness in our children. We need to protect our environment and atmosphere so that we can leave behind a livable world for future generations.
8. What do future climate projections tell us? What kind of world awaits us?
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has presented various climate projections based on differing levels of optimism, depending on the seriousness of the measures taken. In the most optimistic scenario, a global temperature increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels is expected by the year 2100. This scenario assumes a carbon-neutral world, where renewable energy is fully adopted and fossil fuel use is significantly limited. Following this are less optimistic scenarios projecting temperature increases of 1.8°C and 2.7°C. In the worst-case scenario, where fossil fuel-based growth continues unchecked and no significant climate action is taken, a temperature rise of 4.4°C is projected. Under this scenario, extreme weather events are expected to increase dramatically in frequency and intensity. As we can see, even in the best-case scenario, global warming cannot be completely stopped. According to these projections, for the Eastern Mediterranean region—which includes our country—if current policies continue and emissions only decline slowly, a 10–20% decrease in rainfall is expected. In the worst-case scenario, this decline could reach 30%. This signals a future with increased drought, water scarcity, and environmental stress unless serious climate action is taken globally and locally.
9. How can artificial intelligence and advanced technologies help in the fight against the climate crisis?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used across many fields to simplify tasks and enhance efficiency. In the context of combating the climate crisis, AI can play a significant role. For example, it is already being used to develop early warning systems for extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and wildfires—all of which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Additionally, weather forecasting and climate modeling are being enhanced through AI algorithms, enabling more accurate predictions and better preparation for potential climate-related impacts. In short, AI and advanced technologies can help us analyze vast amounts of climate data, optimize energy use, and support decision-making processes in environmental planning and disaster response—making them powerful tools in the global effort to tackle the climate crisis.
10. What concrete steps is CIU taking regarding climate change?
At CIU, various activities and initiatives are being carried out to achieve sustainable development goals, including climate action, waste management, energy efficiency, and clean energy. As you may know, solar panels installed under the Sustainable Energy Research Center on campus provide renewable energy. These panels are not only located in the designated solar park but also in the parking area of the Science and Technology Building, where they serve a dual purpose—offering parking spaces for vehicles while harnessing solar energy.
Students actively produce many recycling-focused materials, organize competitions, and exhibit artistic products made from recycled materials. The Nature Café operates as a plastic-free zone, helping to raise recycling awareness among students. Additionally, the Environmental Engineering Program has organized seminars related to climate change. These are some of the concrete steps CIU is taking to contribute to climate change mitigation and promote sustainability on campus.
