Government targets emission reductions in agriculture
The Cabinet of Cyprus has approved a €1.15 million programme to modernise the country’s livestock sector and support its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32% by 2030. The three-year initiative will run from 2026 to 2028 and will focus on monitoring emissions from livestock.
The programme follows a proposal by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, and builds on previous research conducted by the Agricultural Research Institute.
Rising agricultural emissions drive new initiative
Emissions from agriculture in Cyprus have increased by 17.3% since 1990, now representing 6.6% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The new programme seeks to better understand the climate footprint of livestock and design targeted measures to reduce it.
The earlier programme, completed in 2025, focused on nitrogen fertilisers and achieved a 70% reduction in related emissions. It also generated €4.8 million in annual savings for the state through the emissions trading system.
Focus on scientific analysis and policy measures
The new programme will carry out specialised analyses to determine the actual emissions from Cyprus’ livestock sector. The data will feed into the next Strategic Plan for Rural Development, supporting evidence-based interventions and management measures with measurable climate impact.
Five fixed-term employees will be recruited for 24 months to support the project. Minister Panayiotou emphasised that the programme will strengthen the scientific basis for targeted policy decisions and contribute to meaningful emission reductions in the livestock sector.
Also read: Bank of Cyprus €481m profit, €305m dividend in 2025
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