On 25 April, the Technical Committee on Environment launched the ‘Environmental Caretakers project: Empowering Youth to take an Active Role in Environmental Stewardship’ project.  

The first workshop was on the climate crisis and the way it impacts daily lives. A total of 12 workshops will take place under the Environmental Caretakers project.   

Opening speakers at the event included Mr. Michael Lozides, Greek Cypriot Co-Chair of the Technical Committee on Environment; Mr. Salih Gücel, Turkish Cypriot Co-Chair of the Technical Committee on Environment; Mr. Stefan Simosas, Head of Cooperation, EUPSO, Cyprus Settlement Support; George Zachariah, OSASG-Cyprus; and Mr. Jakhongir Khaydarov, Head of Office, UNDP-Cyprus. 

The speakers emphasized the importance of involving young people in finding solutions for environmental problems. Remarking on the newly-agreed Technical Committee on Youth, speakers stressed the importance of young people having the possibility to take on responsibility; and also the importance of the Technical Committee and the older generation learning from young people. It was noted that environmental issues cannot be divided on such a small island – and the participants were urged to help find innovative solutions to shared environmental problems for future generations.  

At the Geneva informal broader format meeting in March, there was an agreement to work together on six initiatives, including one on environment, climate change and mining areas.  The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders in their meeting of 2 April hosted by SRSG/DSASG Colin Stewart agreed to ask the Technical Committee on Environment to take the lead in this area.   

The Environment Technical Committee is facilitated by the UN Good Offices Mission and the event and project was organized by the Technical Committee, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP with Terra Cypria and Taşkent Nature Park as implementing partners.