News

AKTI’s Director Xenia I. Loizidou will participate in the works of Green Week in Brussels as a member of the CESF group.

Apart from the Green Week activities, the members of CESF group will have meetings with representatives from EU Directives, members of the Euro-parliament and representatives of European NGOs (eg EEB, Active Citizens).

Ξένια Ι. Λοϊζίδου
Πολιτικός Μηχανικός
ΑΚΤΗ Κέντρο Μελετών και Έρευνας, Κύπρος

Το άρθρο δημοσιεύτηκε στο περιοδικό Ελληνικό Πανόραμα τεύχος 62, Μάρτιος – Απρίλιος 2008

Κάντε κλικ εδώ για να διαβάσετε το άρθρο

WORKSHOP 17 APRIL 2008,
NICOSIA: INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT:
FROM THEORY TO COOPERATIVE ACTION

At 17 April 2008, at FULBRIGHT Centre in Nicosia, AKTI Project and Research Centre organises the Workshop INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT: FROM THEORY TO COOPERATIVE ACTION.

You can see the concept of the workshop and the program below. For registration contact AKTI Project and Research Centre (for Turkish press here)

CONCEPT:

Coastal Zones are among the most fragile natural ecosystems, extremely vulnerable to human intervention. Multiple and complex parameters coexist and interact within the dynamic coastal system: natural, social, economic etc. It is a precious natural resource under threat due to overexploitation and increasing human pressures: 2/3 of the human population (3,6 billion people) live near a coastline.

European Union is concerned about the future of its 100,000 km of coastline:

1. over 1/3 of the European population lives within 50 km from the coastline.
2. more than 143 million people live along the coastline in the Mediterranean,.
3. 50% of the Mediterranean coasts will be the victims of construction until 2025 according to European Environment Agency (EEA 2006).
4. 20% of European coasts are facing erosion (EUROSION, 2004) and 80% of Mediterranean coastline will be threatened by erosion during following years (UNEP/MAP, 2006).
5. In Cyprus, 90% of tourism activity is concentrated in the coastal areas which represent only the 13% of the island’s territory!

Economic development results in extreme pressures on the coastal and marine environments. What are the limits to such development? The carrying capacity of coastal ecosystems is not infinite.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) has been addressed as a major priority for ensuring the sustainable future of the Planet. In June 2007 the European Commission confirmed that “the response to the EU ICZM Recommendation is part of a slow, but on-going process towards more integrated coastal planning and management”.

However, non-traditional actions like ICZM are still unfamiliar to people and frequently resisted. Locals, especially in Mediterranean, want to have massive tourism development, which gives quick profit. Inappropriate policies, inappropriate management schemes and infrastructure failed to make sustainable development an effective option. It can be stated or concluded that “our present approach to managing our Coastal Zone resource needs a much improved, interactive link between the best interests of natural-resource system and the society that benefits from it” (SPICOSA network)

A major requirement for the successful implementation of an integrated coastal zone management approach is to ensure the effective participation of citizens throughout the decision making process. All citizens, according to Aarhus Convention, have the right for free access to environmental information and data. Authorities are obliged to provide the infrastructure and the support for their participation in the decision-making process, which will define the future of each coastal area and the development model that is going to be implemented.

This is the context that led to the organisation of the workshop “Integrated Coastal Zone Management: from theory to action”. The workshop will take place in Nicosia, the 17th April 2008 at Fulbright Centre.

PROGRAM:

09:00- 09:30: Registrations – refreshments

09:30- 09:50: Welcome speeches

1.  Dr. Jaco Cilliers, Programme Manager,UNDP-ACT
2.  Meral Akinci, KAYAD Community Centre
3.  Xenia Loizidou, AKTI Project and Research Centre, coordinator of Network for a Sustainable Future

09:50 – 11:10: 1st Round Table:
Integrated Coastal Zone Management: the way through sustainable coastal development
Key speaker: Dr Alan Pickaver, Head of Policy Unit of EUCC (European Union of Coastal Conservation):
European Union ICZM Indicators: How well are we implementing ICZM in Europe? And what effect is it having?

Panel: (5 minutes suggestion by each member of the panel) 

1.  Dr. Jaco Cilliers, Program Manager,UNDP-ACT
2. Michael Loizides, Environmental Engineer- Chairman of Environmental Committee of ETEK- coordinator CESF: the role of engineers in ICZM implementation
3. Meral Akinci- KAYAD: the role of civil society in sustainable development
4. Andreas Demetropoulos, Marine Biologist- ex-Director Fisheries Department: Marine Biodiversity issues in CAMP (Coastal Area Management Program- UNEP)
5. Hristina Kontaxi, Mediterranean SOS Network, Greece: ICZM in Greece and civic engagement

Open discussion with the participation of the audience
Facilitator: Xenia I. Loizidou –Coastal Engineer, AKTI Project and Research Centre, ICZM Ambassador of ENCORA Network.

11:10 – 11:40: Coffee break

11:40 – 13:00: 2nd Round Table:
Sustainability: the role of environmental stakeholders (mass media, NGOs, local authorities, schools…..) and the necessity for cooperative work through networking.
Key speaker: Dr George Kassinis, Associate Professor, Univercity of Cyprus
Critical environmental stakeholders and social networks for sustainable development

Panel: (5 minutes suggestion by each member of the panel)

1. Nic Jarraud, UNDP-ACT: The Cyprus Environmental Stakeholder Forum
2. Kriton Arsenis- Head of Policy Unit, Hellenic Society of Environment and Heritage- Greece: Network for the sustainable development of Aegian islands, Greece
3. Michael Ierides- Director CYMEPA: eco schools: a way to promote sustainable development
4. Kyriaki Demetriou- AKTI: the Aarhus Convention in Cyprus and the potential given to active public participation
5. Dr Ibrahim Ozejder, journalist, Ass University Professor: the role of MME in promoting sustainable development

Open discussion with the participation of the audience
Facilitator: Michael I. Loizides – Environmental Engineer- Chairman of Environmental Committee of ETEK- coordinator of Cyprus Environmental Stakeholder Forum

13:00: Cocktail Lunch

Organizers: AKTI Project and Research Centre
Supported by the organizations: CYMEPA, KAYAD , AGEM

For information and registration, you are welcome to contact AKTI’s office, tel 22458485, fax: 22458486, e-mail: akti@akti.org.cy, website: www.akti.org.cy.

The workshop forms part of the 4-day CESF Plenary, 14 – 18 April 2008, at the Fulbright Centre, Nicosia Cyprus. CESF, ie Cyprus Environmental Stakeholder Forum is an isl    and-wide environmental platform supported by UNDP-ACT). The workshop is organised within the framework of the program “Network for a sustainable future” which froms part of Cyprus Environmental Stakeholder Forum.

AKTI Project and Research Centre, in cooperation with the Green Dot Cyprus,
within the framework of the project ‘Recycling on Cycles’,
are organising literature competition with the theme:

Reduce – Reuse – Recycle: nothing should be wasted!
Deadline: 30/5/2008

For turkish click here

1st PoCoast Seminar on Coastal Research, Portugal , May 26-28, 2008
Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal

The Portuguese Network on Coastal Research, PoCoast, will organize from May 26 through 28, 2008, at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, the 1st PoCoast Seminar on Coastal Research, dedicated to the ENCORA scientific themes, and an extra one. Seminar official languages are Portuguese and English, translation facilities will be provided for both languages.

More information on the ENCORA network

AKTI Project and Research Centre, in cooperation with the Biologists Association and the Green Dot Cyprus, within the framework of the project ‘Recycling on Cycles’, organised a literature competition under the theme:

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle: nothing should be wasted

The Earth is suffering from growing waste mountains. All of us and each of us is part of the problem! The literature competition invites children to think of ways to change their lifestyle, adopting the three Rs: reduce-reuse-recycle, contributing to the ‘solution’ of the problem.

The Award Ceremony took place the 9^th of June at the Fulbright Centre in Nicosia. 20 works have been awarded:. The first three prices have been awarded to (click on each name to download) : 

1^st price: Andreas Andoniades (11 years old) and Perihan KORUK (12 years old)
2^nd price: Andrea Toggidou (8 years old) and Dilan Tanrikulu (13 years old)
3^rd price: Konstantina Pashalidou (8 years old) and Huriye ERTAY (11 years old)

The winning works will be also presented on the websites of the Biologists Association, and Green Dot Cyprus.

The competition has been organized by AKTI Project and Research Centre in cooperation with Green Dot Cyprus and the Biologists Association.

With the support of: Odigitis Bookshop, Deniz Plaza, Cultural Foundation of Morphou Bishopric, Posidonion – Information and Communication Centre.

The competition was organised within the framework of the project Recycling on Cycles which is funded by Action for Cooperation and Trust. Partners in the project: AKTI Project and Research Centre (coordinator), Biologists Association, Cultural Foundation of Morphou Bishopric, Posidonion – Information and Communication Centre.

Την Δευτέρα 9 Ιουνίου 2007 πραγματοποιήθηκε η τελετή βράβευσης ελληνοκύπριων και τουρκοκύπριων παιδιών που τα έργα τους διακρίθηκαν στον Παγκύπριο Λογοτεχνικό Διαγωνισμό:

Μείωση – Επαναχρησιμοποίηση – Ανακύκλωση: Τίποτα δεν πάει χαμένο!

Ο λογοτεχνικός διαγωνισμός καλούσε τα παιδιά να προβληματιστούν και να αλλάξουν τις συνήθειές τους με στόχο να υιοθετήσουν στην καθημερινότητά τους το τρίπτυχο μείωση – επαναχρησιμοποίηση – ανακύκλωση, συμβάλλοντας στη ‘λύση’ του προβλήματος. Τα παιδιά μέσω του γραπτού λόγου, αποτύπωσαν τις σκέψεις και τις ανησυχίες τους με τη δημιουργία παραμυθιών και ποιημάτων.

Συνολικά βραβεύτηκαν 20 λογοτεχνικά έργα (ποιήματα και παραμύθια) ελληνοκυπρίων και τουρκοκυπρίων. Το πρώτο βραβείο απονεμήθηκε στους Αντρέα Αντωνιάδη (11 χρονών) και Perihan KORUK (12 χρονών), τo δεύτερο βραβείο απονεμήθηκε στους Άντρεα Τογκίδου (8 χρονών) και Dilan Tanrikulu (13 χρονών) και το τρίτο βραβείο απονεμήθηκε στους Κωνσταντίνα Πασχαλίδου (8 χρονών) και Huriye ERTAY (11 χρονών).

Τα παιδιά μέσα από τα έργα τους έδωσαν ένα ξεκάθαρο και ηχηρό μήνυμα:

Πνιγόμαστε στα σκουπίδια, η γη μας ασφυκτιά! Αλλάζουμε συνήθειες ΤΩΡΑ!

Ο διαγωνισμός διοργανώθηκε από την ΑΚΤΗ Κέντρο Μελετών και Έρευνας σε συνεργασία με την Green Dot Κύπρου και τον Τουρκοκυπριακό Σύνδεσμο Βιολόγων, στο πλαίσιο του έργου ‘Ανακύκλωση στις Ρόδες’ το οποίο υποστηρίζεται από το UNDP-ACT.

Τhe 15th of March 2007, took place the Workshop: Integrated Coastal Zone Management and the Role of Civil Society, in Goethe Institute in Nicosia . The Workshop was very successful: 10 subjects have been presented and discussed concerning sustainable coastal management, the role of civil society the situation in Cyprus, projects have been presented like CAMP Cyprus, and experience from other countries (eg the case of Elefsina by MedSOS and ENCORA network). 50 people attended the works throughout the day. The European Network for Coastal Research participated in the workshop, represented by prof. Prinos. Dr Jaco Cilliers, Project Manager of UNDP-ACT did the opening of the works, emphasising on the importance of sustainable coastal development for the future of Cyprus and the significance of the active involvement of citizens in the decision making process. The Workshop was organized by AKTI Project and Research Centre, supported by the organizations CYMEPA, KAYAD, AGEM, within the framework of the project NETWORK FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, which is funded by UNDP-ACT