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written by Avli’s members Myrto Skouroupathi and Josef Boraei
PRIDE
If you haven’t already heard, it’s Pride Month! June is established as the Pride month, a month to celebrate and uplift LGBTQIA+* communities. People are coming together in love, friendship, and solidarity to celebrate the wins, mourn the losses, and demand LGBTQIA+ liberation.
The first Pride was held as an anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall riots were crucial protests in 1969 in the US, that started as a pushback to police brutality and discrimination experienced by queer people. Queer** feminist and activist Brenda Howard – also known as ‘The Mother of Pride’, together with other activists commemorated the Riots with a rally in July 1969 which become what we today know us pride. It is important, then, to remember that the first Pride was a riot. [1]
We, as environmental peace-building activists, have other identities, such as LGBTQIA+ identities that are intertwined with our climate and peace activism. With the climate crisis being the greatest threat to human rights, social justice, and ecosystems we wanted to take the opportunity of the Pride Month to explore why the Climate Crisis is a LGBTQIA+ issue.
CLIMATE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS
Climate crisis is affecting every one of us. However, the impacts of it are not experienced equally. They disproportionately affect those that are already marginalised, either across the divide in Cyprus or across the world – including LBGTQI+ people.
It affects each person differently based on biological, social, and cultural parameters such as gender, race, social class, ability, age, sexuality and so on – perceived as norms.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it is clear that the people who are already most vulnerable and marginalised will experience the greatest impacts of climate change. [2,3]
Marginalised people have higher chances to live in areas at most risk of climate change, and way less chances to access resources or ability to relocate. It is also crystal clear that in times of crisis (i.e. economical, political, social, climate, health), the most marginalised are the first to be impacted. LGBTQI+ people across the world are more likely to experience homelessness, lack of financial resources and support structures. In case of conflict and (climate) disasters, marginalised people are less mobile and receive less support. This is especially true for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPoC) LGBTQI+ people.
An example is Hurricane Katrina, during which trans people faced discrimination in emergency shelters, with some turned away, while the black gay community has yet to fully recover [4,5]. This can also apply in the case of Cyprus, where the right to change one’s legal gender is non-existence in the southern part [6] of the island, while in the northern it’s only possible with full gender reassignment surgery [7], which means that trans people are limited in their movement and the services they are able to receive in case of a crisis.
THE ROOTS OF INTERLINKED OPPRESSIONS
Climate justice teaches us that the roots of the climate crisis are strongly connected with multiple oppressions. Several forms of power and systematic oppression interact on multiple and often simultaneous levels, through institutions such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, classism, ageism and others. Therefore, the climate crisis and other environmental and social struggles, are the results of capitalism, colonialism, racism, patriarchy, neoliberalism, and neocolonialism among others. [8]
We recognise that these oppressive structures have brought us to the exploitation of the people and the planet, for human rights and environmental degradation respectively.
This has been a struggle and a threat for the queer community and therefore queer liberation for a long time, that unfortunately pushes down the beauty of diversity. It is a danger for gender and sexual identities as much as it is for the planet, biodiversity, and natural heritage on the altar of money and profit. [9]
We strongly believe that there is one struggle and one fight. Thus, fighting against the oppressive systems of capitalism, colonialism, racism, sexism, neoliberalism and neocolonialism, is crucial to fight both the climate crisis and for queer liberation.
QUEERS EXPERIENCE IN THE CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENT IS BENEFICIAL
The climate justice movement can also benefit from the contribution of the LGBTQI+ community while fighting against the climate crisis. By looking at the history of LGBTQI+ communities across the globe and the fights given against common oppressive systems, it shows how much experience we can offer on skills sharing, survival, practices of resistance and resilience. It hasn’t been an easy struggle for LGBTQI+ community, but we know how to struggle, how to organise, how to demonstrate and how to win. The queer community knows very well how a community of love and care looks like, and also how concrete solidarity should be.
Great examples of recognition of struggles and concrete solidarity by the LGBTQI+ community towards other communities are the “Lesbians and Gays support the Miners” [10] and “Lesbians and Gays support the Migrants”. [11]
Another example are the “disable and trans people of colour, who have a lot to teach us on how to deal with climate catastrophe and as they say ‘welcome to our world’. Even in the moments when we’re in pain, when we’re uncomfortable, when the task ahead feels overwhelming, and we feel defeated by the sheer scope of everything that’s wrong in the world, we don’t have to give up on life or on humanity. Queer and trans disabled people know that, because that’s how we live. At this moment of climate chaos, we’re saying: Welcome to our world. We have some things to teach you if you’ll listen, so that we can all survive.” [12]
Queer communities are already providing support on survival skills, spaces to host people in times of crisis, and even mobilise their communities to fight against the climate crisis. The legacy of LGBTQIA+ people is so rich with experience on activism, resistance, campaigns which can be shared, used and strengthened when fighting for climate justice. We, as queer people, are already part of the fight.
QUEER LIBERATION and CLIMATE JUSTICE go hand in hand.
Finally, we would like to conclude that Avli members are standing for a truly intersectional movement fighting for collective liberation and justice.
There is no climate justice without queer liberation, and there is no queer liberation without climate justice. The fight against the climate crisis and queer oppression are strongly linked and its roots are the same oppressive systems. We do not stand for neither a queer-exclusive climate movement nor for a capitalist “rainbow washed” pride. We stand together, united against all kinds of oppression.
*LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual. The + is an inclusive symbol to mean ‘and others’ to include people of all identities.
**Queer is a reclaimed slur which some but not all people in the LGBTQIA+ community use.
INVITATION TO JOINS US IN THE CLIMATE JUSTICE BLOC led by Avli
On Saturday, 18 June 2022, LGBTQI+ people from all around Cyprus and beyond are gathering and marching for their rights, in Nicosia.
For the first time in Cyprus, LGBTQIA+ organisations and communities across the island are coming together and joining forces for an intercommunal, self-organised, self-funded, grassroots Pride with the slogan “United by Pride”.
Co-hosts: Queer Collective Cy, Queer Cyprus Association, LGBT PILIPINAS, LGBT Africa and the LGBTQIA+ & Allies Students Club of the University of Cyprus.
Avli, as an initiative working on environmental peace building also recognises the multidimensional form of the climate crisis, thus we are launching an open call to all environmental and climate organisations and initiatives across the island to support the upcoming march ‘United by Pride’.
As we have explained, there is no Climate Justice without Social Justice and Queer liberation. Therefore, we would like to invite you to support and participate within the climate justice bloc of the march on June 18, 2022 at 18:00. Our main message will be ‘No pride on a dead planet – Save Akamas’. The climate justice bloc also aims to offer space for anyone who identifies as queer but is not able to participate in the march as an individual in fear of discrimination. Anyone is welcome to join us!
Author/Συντάκτης/Yazar: Myrto Skouroupathi, Josef Boraei
Çevirmenler/Μεταφραστές/Translators: N/A
Συντάκτες/Editors/Editörler: Myrto Skouroupathi, Nikolas Michael
As a peace and environment initiative, we are deeply concerned by the inclusion of the EastMed
pipeline in the 5th list of Projects of Common Interest. Our concerns stem from the following
reasons:
Natural gas is a fossil fuel. The emissions from its combustion though lower than those from coal
or oil; still contribute significantly to global warming.1
Investing in natural gas, in the form of the EastMed Pipeline, will prevent us from meeting our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
This conclusion is confirmed by Cyprus’ Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP)2
prepared under the Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of
11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, as well as by the
Draft Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy (LTS)3 published by the
Republic of Cyprus.
What is the Aarhus Convention?
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (“Convention”) was adopted on 25 June 1998 at Aarhus, Denmark during the Fourth Ministerial Conference as part of the “Environment for Europe” process. It entered into force on 30 October 2001. Cyprus ratified the Convention in 2003.
The Convention was adopted following the 1992 World Summit where governments adopted the Rio Declaration Principle 10 which provides that “Environmental issues are best handled with participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant level.” However, all citizens and organised groups have the right to access environmental information, without having to invoke or prove any interest. In turn, every public authority is obligated to provide environmental information, subject to certain exceptions where public authorities may refuse to do so.
The Convention establishes a number of rights of the public (individuals and their associations) with regard to the environment. The Parties to the Convention are required to make the necessary provisions so that public authorities will contribute to these rights to become effective.
EU Level
On 10 October 2019 the Commission published a report on EU implementation of the Convention in the area of access to justice in environmental matters. The report delivers a key part of the Commission’s commitment to developing a response to critical positions taken by an international body, the Convention Compliance Committee and the EU. These critical positions are to the effect that the EU does not provide members of the public, including environmental associations, with enough possibilities through administrative or judicial review to legally challenge acts of the EU institutions for violations of EU Environmental Law. You can view the full report here.
Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 regulates public access to environmental information and, for its purposes, defines “Environmental Information.”
National Level
As a member of the European Union since 2004, Cyprus aligned this Directive through implementation on the Law on Public Access to Environmental Information (Law 119(I)/2004). The environmental legal framework must be strategically used to combat critical environmental problems, in the best interest of current and future generations.
Your Excellencies,
Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akıncı,
Over the past several weeks, the people of Cyprus have been anxiously watching as warships park themselves in and around our waters, and politicians give blustery speeches threatening the delicate peace in our region. As a team of young Cypriots passionate about the environment and peace, it is our moral duty to urge you, our leaders, to stand together and de-escalate tensions surrounding the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, and not allow our island to be drawn into a larger geo-political maelstrom that will only serve to threaten the lives and livelihoods of our families and friends.
Our cohort, consisting of both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, serves as an example of the cooperative and forward thinking work that Cypriots are capable of as we consider the future of our island. The most recent geopolitical developments surrounding the exploitation of gas fields outside of Cyprus stand against those principles of mutual understanding, cooperation, and trust.
In contrast to the promises that this gas would bring peace to Cyprus, 2020 is the third year in a row without meaningful negotiations between the two communities, while tensions due to gas exploration in our waters are reaching a critical point. At the same time, it is an open secret that some political leaders on the island would consider the Cyprus problem as “solved,” pushing towards the permanent partition of our home through their inaction and lack of cooperation. We strongly condemn the continuation of this unsustainable status quo and we believe that the Cyprus problem can only be solved with the reunification of the island.
Therefore, we cannot stress enough the urge to the leaders of the two communities, and to all parties involved, for the immediate resuming of the reunification talks from where they had stopped at Crans-Montana. We urge you to build the spirit of cooperation and understanding between Cypriots, rather than allow ourselves to be exploited and pulled into the geopolitical ambitions of foreign powers. Cypriots must stand together in rejection of a status quo that brings us to the brink of war, and that begins with the leaders of our island.
The exploitation of natural gas will have an irreversible and deleterious effect on both the Mediterranean Sea and on those of us who depend on the sea for survival. Our sea, which Cyprus’ tourist heavy economy depends on, has already been scarred by decades of intermittent war, heavy shipping, and general pollution. The nations of the Eastern Mediterranean have done little to protect our most valuable resource, in pursuit of short-sighted economic gain and zero-sum political advantage on one another. The Eastern Mediterranean has had our pristine beaches threatened by oil spills, our precious wildlife killed by underwater explosions, and our very water filled to the brim with plastics.
Finally, as the youth of Cyprus, we are concerned about the effects of further investing in fossil fuel projects will have on the future of our island. Cyprus is uniquely vulnerable to climate change, as we have seen from the massive fires engulfing our island, and the scorching heatwaves and dry spells that threaten public health and agricultural production. Investing in natural gas exploitation may have made perfect sense a decade and a half ago, but we are nearing a point where we need to rapidly decarbonize our economies and invest in economically sound and sustainable solutions.
What we are asking from you:
As Cyprus’ leaders you must not only consider the stakes of gas exploration in terms of number of euros, but also numbers of lives, and the future that you are subjecting your people to. We strongly believe that Cyprus’ greatest resource is the people that live on this great island, and our pursuit of innovative and trailblazing solutions to difficult problems. We ask you to look to us, the youth of this island, who believe that peace and environmental sustainability should be at the forefront of any vision for the future of Cyprus. There is nothing to be gained by continuing the status quo of escalating tensions in this matter, and we have everything to lose.
Tek vatan, tek halk – One country, one people – Μια πατρίδα, ένας λαός.
Sincerely,
Andreas Piperides, 25, Nicosia
Angelos Sofocleous, 26, Nicosia
Deniz Özdiren, 24, Nicosia
Dogukan Kansu, 22, Nicosia
Emily Petrou, 18, Nicosia
Erdim Türkmen, 28, Nicosia
Ergün Bey, 24, Kyrenia
Evgenia Chamilou. 22, Nicosia
Fatma Dalokay, 19, Famagusta
Frantzeska Iosif, 23, Limassol
Hatice Benan, 28, Nicosia
Iosef Boraei, 29, Nicosia
Kemal Haşim, 26, Famagusta
Maria Kola, 29, Nicosia
Merve Ilkan, 22, Nicosia
Myrto Skouroupathi, 26, Nicosia
Nikolas Michael, 24, Limassol
Önder Erdoğdu, 26, Nicosia
Polymnia Glykeriou, 27, Larnaca
Süleyman Kutlu, 22, Larnaca
Vijdan Şengör, 28, Nicosia
Charis Theodorou, 27, Nicosia
The post Letter on behalf of a team of young Cypriots passionate about the environment and peace in Cyprus first appeared on AVLI.Ekselansları,
Kıbrıslı Rum Lider Nicos Anastasiades ve Kıbrıslı Türk Lider Mustafa Akıncı,
Geçmiş birkaç haftadır Kıbrıs’taki halklar adamızın etrafındaki savaş gemilerinin varlığını ve politikacıların bölgemizdeki barışı tehdit eden tahrik edici konuşmalarını endişe ile izliyor. Çevre ve Barış için toplanan genç Kıbrıslılar olarak, siz liderlerimizi birlikte durmaya ve Doğu Akdeniz’deki hidrokarbon kaynaklarının araştırılması ve kullanılmasıyla ilgili gerilimi azaltmaya çağırmak bizim görevimizdir. Adamızın daha büyük bir jeopolitik girdabın içine girmesi ailelerimizin hayatlarını ve geçim kaynaklarını tehdit edecektir, sizlerden buna izin vermemenizi istiyoruz.
Toplam 19 Kıbrıslı gençten oluşan kohortumuz, adamızın geleceğini düşündüğümüzde Kıbrıslıların yapabilecekleri iki toplumlu ve ileri görüşlü çalışmaların bir örneğidir. Adamızın etrafında bulunan gaz yataklarının kullanılması ile ilgili gelişen son jeopolitik gelişmeler karşılıklı anlayış, işbirliği ve güven ilkelerine aykırıdır.
Bulunması planlanan gaz kaynaklarının Kıbrıs adasına barış getireceği sözleri aksine, son üç yıldır iki toplum arasında yapıcı müzakereler gerçekleştirilmemiştir. Aynı zamanda, adadaki bazı siyasi liderlerin hareketsizlikleri ve işbirliği eksiklikleri nedeniyle yurdumuz kalıcı olarak bölünmeye doğru gitmektedir. Bu kalıcı bölünmeye doğru gidişi kimi politikacılar Kıbrıs sorununun ‘’çözümü’’ olarak görmektedirler. Bu sürdürülemez statükonun devam etmesini şiddetle kınıyor ve Kıbrıs sorununun ancak adanın yeniden birleşmesi ile çözülebileceğine inanıyoruz.
Bu nedenledir ki, Crans-Montana’dan sonra tıkanan görüşmelerin en hızlı şekilde tekrar başlaması için ilgili tüm taraflara, özellikle de iki toplumun liderlerine, müzakereye devam çağrısı yapıyoruz. Sizleri, büyük güçlerin jeopolitik hırs ve çıkarlarına malzeme olmak yerine, Kıbrıslılar arasında işbirliği ve karşılıklı anlayış ruhu inşa etmeye davet ediyoruz. Bizi savaşın eşiğine getiren statükoyu reddetmeliyiz. Bu reddediş, adamızın liderleri sayesinde başlayacaktır.
Doğalgaz rezervlerinin sömürülmesinin hem Akdeniz’in, hem de yaşamak için Akdeniz’e bağlı olanların sağlığı üzerinde, zararlı ve geri çevrilmeyecek etkileri olacaktır. Kıbrıs’ın turizm sektörü ağırlıklı ekonomisinin bağımlı olduğu Akdeniz halihazırda gerek aralıklı savaş gerek nakliye ve genel çevre kirliliğinden zarar görmüş bulunmaktadır. Geçtiğimiz yıllarda Doğu Akdeniz ülkeleri kendi sıfır toplamlı oyunlarını (zero sum game) ve kısa ömürlü ekonomik çıkarlarını ön planda tutarak Akdeniz’i koruma namına hiçbir adım atmadılar. Bu neden ile Doğu Akdeniz’deki saf plajlarımız, kendi denizimiz ve deniz altındaki yaşam gerek petrol sızıntısı tehditleri ile, gerekse su altı patlamaları ve plastik çöpler ile zarar görmüştür.
Çevreyi düşünen gençler olarak fosil yakıt projelerinin ülkemizin geleceği üzerinde olacak etkileri ile ilgili kaygılarımız var. Ülkemizdeki büyük orman yangınları ve hem toplumun sağlığını hem de tarım sektörünü etkileyen uzun kuraklık dönemleri Kıbrıs’ın iklim değişikliği karşısındaki benzersiz savunmasızlığının örnekleridir. Her ne kadar doğalgaz kullanımına yapılan yatırımlar bir on sene önce mantıklı gelmişse de, artık ekonomimizi karbondan arındırma ve sağlam ve sürdürülebilir çözümlere yönelik adımlar atma vakti gelmiştir.
İsteklerimiz:
Kıbrıs’ın liderleri olarak, Doğu Akdeniz’deki doğal gaz aramalarını sadece ekonomik anlamda değil, adada yaşayan insanların hayatları ve geleceklerini de göz önünde bulundurarak değerlendirmeniz gerekiyor. Şiddetle inanıyoruz ki Kıbrıs’ın en büyük kaynağı üzerinde yaşayan güzel insanları ve zor sorunlara karşı ürettiğimiz yenilikçi ve öncü çözümlerdir. Sizden istediğimiz, barış ve çevresel sürdürülebilirliğin ön planda olması gerektiğine inanan biz Kıbrıs’ın gençlerinin sesini duymanızdır. Ada ve çevresindeki gerilimi ve statükoyu sürdürerek kazanacak hiçbir şeyimiz olmadığı gibi kaybedecek de çok şeyimiz var.
Tek vatan, tek halk – One country, one people – Μια πατρίδα, ένας λαός.
Saygı ve içtenliklerimizle,
Andreas Piperides, 25, Nicosia
Angelos Sofocleous, 26, Nicosia
Charis Theodorou, 27, Nicosia
Deniz Özdiren, 24, Nicosia
Dogukan Kansu, 22, Nicosia
Emily Petrou, 18, Nicosia
Erdim Türkmen, 28, Nicosia
Ergün Bey, 24, Kyrenia
Evgenia Chamilou. 22, Nicosia
Fatma Dalokay, 19, Famagusta
Frantzeska Iosif, 23, Limassol
Hatice Benan, 28, Nicosia
Iosef Boraei, 29, Nicosia
Kemal Haşim, 26, Famagusta
Maria Kola, 29, Nicosia
Merve Ilkan, 22, Nicosia
Myrto Skouroupathi, 26, Nicosia
Nikolas Michael, 24, Limassol
Önder Erdoğdu, 26, Nicosia
Polymnia Glykeriou, 27, Larnaca
Süleyman Kutlu, 22, Larnaca
Vijdan Şengör, 28, Nicosia
The post Kıbrıs’ta çevre ve barış konusunda tutkulu genç Kıbrıslılardan oluşan bir ekip adına mektup first appeared on AVLI.Εξοχότατοι,
Τις περασμένες εβδομάδες, ο κόσμος της Κύπρου παρακολουθεί με αγωνία καθώς τα πολεμικά πλοία σταθμεύουν μέσα και γύρω από τα νερά μας, και οι πολιτικοί δίνουν πομπώδης ομιλίες απειλώντας την εύθραυστη ειρήνη στην περιοχή μας. Ως μία ομάδα νεολαίας που νοιάζεται για το περιβάλλον και την ειρήνη στην Κύπρο και ως νέοι Κύπριοι, έχουμε ηθικό καθήκον να παροτρύνουμε εσάς, τους ηγέτες μας, να σταθείτε μαζί και να αποκλιμακώσετε τις εντάσεις γύρω από την εξερεύνηση και την εκμετάλλευση των υδρογονανθράκων στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο και να μην αφήσετε το νησί μας να μπλεχτεί σε μια μεγαλύτερη γεωπολιτική αναταραχή που θα χρησιμεύσει μόνο στο να θέσει τη ζωή και ευημερία του λαού της Κύπρου σε κίνδυνο.
Ως μία ομάδα νεολαίας που νοιάζεται για το περιβάλλον και την ειρήνη στην Κύπρο και ως νέοι Κύπριοι, έχουμε ηθικό καθήκον να παροτρύνουμε εσάς, τους ηγέτες μας, να σταθείτε μαζί και να αποκλιμακώσετε τις εντάσεις γύρω από την εξερεύνηση και την εκμετάλλευση των υδρογονανθράκων στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο και να μην αφήσετε το νησί μας να μπλεχτεί σε μια μεγαλύτερη γεωπολιτική αναταραχή που θα χρησιμεύσει μόνο στο να θέσει τη ζωή και ευημερία του λαού της Κύπρου σε κίνδυνο.
Σε αντίθεση με τις υποσχέσεις ότι αυτό το αέριο θα έφερνε ειρήνη στην Κύπρο, το 2020 είναι η τρίτη συνεχόμενη χρονιά χωρίς ουσιαστικές συνομιλίες ανάμεσα στις δύο κοινότητες, την ίδια ώρα που οι εντάσεις λόγω της εξερεύνησης για φυσικό αέριο στα νερά μας έχουν φτάσει σε ένα κρίσιμο σημείο. Ταυτόχρονα, είναι κοινό μυστικό ότι κάποια πολιτικά πρόσωπα του νησιού θεωρούν ότι το Κυπριακό έχει «λυθεί», προωθώντας, με την αδράνεια και την έλλειψη συνεργασίας τους, τη μόνιμη διχοτόμηση της χώρας μας. Καταδικάζουμε έντονα τη συνέχιση αυτού του μη-βιώσιμου status quo και πιστεύουμε ότι το Κυπριακό μπορεί να λυθεί μόνο με την επανένωση του νησιού μας.
Συνεπώς, θέλουμε να τονίσουμε όσο πιο εμφατικά γίνεται, την προτροπή προς τους ηγέτες των δύο κοινοτήτων, και όλα τα εμπλεκόμενα μέρη, για την άμεση επανεκκίνηση των συνομιλιών για την επανένωση της Κύπρου, από εκεί που είχαν σταματήσει στο Crans-Montana. Σας καλούμε να οικοδομήσετε το πνεύμα συνεργασίας και κατανόησης μεταξύ των Κυπρίων, αντί να επιτρέψετε να μας εκμεταλλευτούν και να γίνουμε έρμαιο στις γεωπολιτικές φιλοδοξίες ξένων δυνάμεων. Οι Κύπριοι πρέπει να σταθούν μαζί στην απόρριψη ενός status quo που μας φέρνει στο χείλος του πολέμου, και αυτό ξεκινά με τους ηγέτες του νησιού μας.
Η εκμετάλλευση του φυσικού αερίου θα έχει ανεπανόρθωτες και επιβλαβείς επιπτώσεις τόσο στη Μεσόγειο θάλασσα, όσο και σε όσους από εμάς που εξαρτώνται από την θάλασσα για την επιβίωσή τους. Η θάλασσά μας, στην οποία στηρίζεται έντονα ο τουρισμός άρα και η οικονομία μας, έχει ήδη πληγεί από δεκαετίες πολέμων, βαριά ναυτιλία και ρύπανση γενικότερα. Τα κράτη της Ανατολικής Μεσογείου έχουν κάνει ελάχιστα για να προστατεύσουν τον πιο σημαντικό μας πόρο, επιδιώκοντας βραχυπρόθεσμα οικονομικά οφέλη και πολιτικά πλεονεκτήματα μηδενικού αθροίσματος. Η Ανατολική Μεσόγειος κατέληξε να έχει τις παρθένες παραλίες της να απειλούνται από πετρελαιοκηλίδες, την πολύτιμη άγρια ζωή της να σκοτώνεται από υποθαλάσσιες εκρήξεις και το νερό της να ξεχειλίζει από πλαστικά.
Τέλος, ως οι νέοι της Κύπρου, ανησυχούμε για τις επιπτώσεις που οι επενδύσεις σε έργα ορυκτών καυσίμων θα έχουν στο μέλλον του νησιού μας. Η Κύπρος είναι ιδιαίτερα ευάλωτη στην κλιματική αλλαγή, όπως έχουμε δει από τις τεράστιες πυρκαγιές που κατακλύζουν το νησί μας και τα έντονα κύματα καύσωνα και ξηρασίας που απειλούν τη δημόσια υγεία και τη γεωργική παραγωγή. Οι επενδύσεις στην εκμετάλλευση φυσικού αερίου μπορεί να έκαναν απόλυτο νόημα πριν μιάμιση δεκαετία, αλλά πλησιάζουμε ένα σημείο όπου πρέπει άμεσα να απομακρύνουμε την οικονομία μας από τα ορυκτά καύσιμα και να επενδύσουμε σε οικονομικά ακέραιες και βιώσιμες λύσεις.
Για αυτό ζητούμε:
Ως ηγέτες της Κύπρου θα πρέπει να εξετάσετε την εξερεύνηση φυσικού αερίου λαμβάνοντας υπόψη όχι μόνο το χρήμα, αλλά και τις ανθρώπινες ζωές και το μέλλον το οποίο καθορίζετε για τους συμπολίτες σας. Πιστεύουμε ακράδαντα ότι ο μεγαλύτερος πόρος της Κύπρου είναι οι άνθρωποι που ζουν σε αυτό το υπέροχο νησί και η επιδίωξή μας για καινοτόμες και πρωτοποριακές λύσεις σε δύσκολα προβλήματα. Σας ζητάμε να κοιτάξετε εμάς, τους νέους αυτού του νησιού, οι οποίοι πιστεύουν ότι η ειρήνη και η περιβαλλοντική βιωσιμότητα πρέπει να βρίσκονται στην πρώτη γραμμή οποιουδήποτε οράματος για το μέλλον της Κύπρου. Δεν έχουμε τίποτα να κερδίσουμε με τη συνέχιση του status quo των κλιμακούμενων εντάσεων, αλλά έχουμε να χάσουμε τα πάντα.
Tek vatan, tek halk – One country, one people – Μια πατρίδα, ένας λαός.
Με εκτίμηση,
Ομάδα νέων για το περιβάλλον και την ειρήνη
Andreas Piperides, 25, Nicosia
Angelos Sofocleous, 26, Nicosia
Charis Theodorou, 27, Nicosia
Deniz Özdiren, 24, Nicosia
Dogukan Kansu, 22, Nicosia
Emily Petrou, 18, Nicosia
Erdim Türkmen, 28, Nicosia
Ergün Bey, 24, Kyrenia
Evgenia Chamilou. 22, Nicosia
Fatma Dalokay, 19, Famagusta
Frantzeska Iosif, 23, Limassol
Hatice Benan, 28, Nicosia
Iosef Boraei, 29, Nicosia
Kemal Haşim, 26, Famagusta
Maria Kola, 29, Nicosia
Merve Ilkan, 22, Nicosia
Myrto Skouroupathi, 26, Nicosia
Nikolas Michael, 24, Limassol
Polymnia Glykeriou, 27, Larnaca
Önder Erdoğdu, 26, Nicosia
Süleyman Kutlu, 22, Larnaca
Vijdan Şengör, 28, Nicosia
The post Επιστολή από τη Δικοινοτική Ομάδα Νέων για το Περιβάλλον και την Ειρήνη first appeared on AVLI.
One Radical Planet 
