Desertification in Cyprus

1. Desertification of
Cyprus and ways
of fighting it

2.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9RxnuBiFbg

3. Desertification
 Desertification is a type of land
degradation in drylands involving
loss of biological productivity
caused by natural processes or
induced by human activities. It is
caused by a variety of factors,
such as through climate change
and through the overexploitation
of soil through human activity.

4. Desertification of Cyprus
 Average rainfall
 Average temperature
 Atmospheric dust
Climate change has a major impact on
Cyprus. Changes are evident in:

5. Precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail) in
Cyprus over the last 118 years
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1901/02
1904/05
1907/08
1910/11
1913/14
1916/17
1919/20
1922/23
1925/26
1928/29
1931/32
1934/35
1937/38
1940/41
1943/44
1946/47
1949/50
1952/53
1955/56
1958/59
1961/62
1964/65
1967/68
1970/71
1973/74
1976/77
1979/80
1982/83
1985/86
1988/89
1991/92
1994/95
1997/98
2000/01
2003/04
2006/07
2009/10
2012/13
2015/16
2018/19
A reduction of
about 100mm in
rainfall is
estimated over
the last 118
years

6. Increase of Temperature in Cyprus
 Cyprus has one of the warmest climates and warmest
winters in the Mediterranean part of the European
Union. The average annual temperature on the coast
is around 24 °C during the day and 14 °C at night.
Generally, the warm season lasts about eight months.
 Though in result of the climate change the
temperature in Cyprus has increased a lot. For
example, nowadays in the summer the temperature
can reach up to 40˚C and counting. In 2010 the
highest temperature was recorded in Cyprus with
45.6˚C.

8. Temperature record in Cyprus in the last
twenty years.
17.00
17.50
18.00
18.50
19.00
19.50
20.00
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
A temperature rise of
about half a degree
Celsius has occurred.
This is comparable to
the rise of global
average temperature in
the same time span.

9. Global record of temperature over the
last 135 years
12.5
13
13.5
14
14.5
15
1880
1883
1886
1889
1892
1895
1898
1901
1904
1907
1910
1913
1916
1919
1922
1925
1928
1931
1934
1937
1940
1943
1946
1949
1952
1955
1958
1961
1964
1967
1970
1973
1976
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
2000
2003
2006
2009
2012
2015
Global Temperature 1880-2015
A global rise of
temperature of about
a degree Celsius over
the last 135 years

10.  Drought is a natural phenomenon defined as sustained
and extensive occurrence of below average water
availability.
 Drought should not be confused with aridity, which is a
long-term average feature of a dry climate.
 It is also distinct from water scarcity, which constitutes
an imbalance between water availability and demand.
DROUGHT

11. Types of drought in Cyprus
 Meteorological droughts
They are caused by rainfall shortage
 Hydrological droughts:
They are losses in river flows or reduced groundwater
replacement
 Agricultural droughts:
They are reduced availability of soil water

12. Consequences
of drought
 If Cyprus keeps having
drought these will be the
consequences:
 Many forests will disappear
because they won’t get their
required amount of water.
 The land will dry up and many
farmers won’t be able to grow
their crops.
 Many animals will die because
they won't be able to drink
water

13. Three ways of dealing with water
shortage in Cyprus
 Water collection and reservation in Dams
 Waste water purification
 Seawater desalination

14. Water Reserves in Dams Of Cyprus
 In the 80’s Cyprus developed a system of dams that
aimed to save rainwater
 Cyprus dams a capacity of 315 million tons of water
which is sufficient for water supply for the population,
the 3 million tourists visiting Cyprus yearly and the
needs of agriculture
Kourris dam. The biggest
dam in Cyprus with
capacity of 150 million
cubic meters.

15. Recycled Water:
It is a process by which former wastewater (sewage) is
treated and purified for reuse.
Desalination:
It is the treatment of sea water for irrigation and
consumption
Waste water
purification plant
in Cyprus.

16. In the last years the air quality
here in Cyprus has concerned
the citizens a lot. There has
been a lot of dust and people
are worried about their health.

17. The dust might be more concentrated in
certain months
 The months from February to March are
considered the dustiest months of the year. This is
happening because in February and March the
temperature changes drastically in the semi-
tropical zone of the desert.

18. Some dust incidents in Cyprus
On the 14th of October of 2019 the dust levels in Larnaka
were twice as much as the normal level
On the 22nd of February of 2017 dust was
transferred from the Syrian desert over to
Cyprus.
On the 9th of May 2015 kids missed school
because of high dust levels.

19. According to studies….
According to studies from 2008 until
2009, 182 dust full days were recorded

20. Useful links:
 http://www.ncu.org.cy/MSc/projects/desertification/kipros.html
 https://www.philenews.com/european-
union/environment/article/803786/ekthesi-bainei-se-erimopoiisi-
i-kypros
 https://www.kathimerini.gr/920681/article/epikairothta/perivallo
n/to-edafos-ths-kyproy-stegnwnei-epikindyna
 https://avant-garde.com.cy/kosmos/erimopiisi-xartis
 https://dialogos.com.cy/erevna-tis-ee-stin-kipro-kata-tis-
erimopiisis/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drought
 https://www.climatechangepost.com/cyprus/droughts/
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9RxnuBiFbg
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygeg_JsqH9U

21. Thank You