Kouyialis: Climate deal means much more work

Electricity production and renewable energy are areas that need much improvement, but there are also other issues now that a global agreement on climate changed has been reached in Paris, Agriculture and Environment Minister Nicos Kouyialis said to Cyprus News Agency. “This agreement is just the beginning. From now on we must all work collectively and in a spirit of solidarity and transparency mainly because transparency was one of the issues that had been widely discussed in this global conference on the environment,” he underscored, Cyprus Mail reports.

He mentioned two upcoming large solar thermal parks in Cyprus, „to be built before 2020.“ Kouyialis said two ministries would soon launch programmes aimed providing incentives to businesses and homes to invest in renewable energy. “And we will launch measures to fund innovative technologies,” he added.

To cover the cost of the Paris agreement, Kouyialis said the European Union collectively would pay a huge amount. “We are all committed that from 2020 onwards EUR 100 billion euros a year would be given by the EU and the developed countries, mainly the United States,” he said. The minister added Cyprus would contribute EUR 350,000.

“The EU will create more programmes for new energy technologies and I hope that we will be able to participate in these programmes,” said the minister.