Cyprus faces rising poverty risk due to climate change

A study published in the journal ‘Global Environmental Change’ warns that up to 49% of Cypriot households could face poverty by the end of the century if current global warming trends continue and climate adaptation measures are not implemented.

If global warming reaches 2.7 degrees Celsius, the percentage of households at risk of poverty in Cyprus could rise from the current 14.9% to 49%. Even if warming is limited to 2 degrees Celsius, the risk is estimated to increase to approximately 25%.

The research highlights that Cyprus faces income losses due to heatwaves and droughts that exceed the European Union average. To date, income losses in Cyprus are estimated at 5% for the total population and 9% for the poorest households. Future income losses due to climate change could reach up to 54% of future incomes in the country, a figure double the European average. The study, led by Jessie Schleypen of Humboldt University of Berlin, notes that the combination of heatwaves and droughts has more severe negative impacts than either phenomenon occurring in isolation.