The Ministry of Defence hosted the 1st Meeting on Circular Economy and Sustainability in the Defence Sector through the Implementation of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), titled CEDSEMAS, from 15 to 19 September.
The meeting is part of the funding of the CEDS-EMAS project (“Circular Economy and Defence Sector Sustainability through Eco Management and Audit Scheme implementation”) by the European Defence Agency (EDA), among 18 submitted proposals.
A press release issued by the Ministry said that the Grant Agreement between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) was signed on 1 April 2025. The project has a duration of 15 months, and is planned to be completed in June 2026, with a total budget of €180,000.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) from Greece – Project Coordinator and AEOLIKI LTD from Cyprus – Project Partner.
The project involves representatives from four camps of the National Guard of Cyprus, as well as three military facilities of the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence and three of the Portuguese Ministry of Defence, as part of the joint European effort to promote environmental sustainability in the defence sector and to strengthen the implementation of EMAS in military structures and organizations.
The meeting was opened on behalf of the Minister of Defence, Vasilis Palmas, by the Diplomatic Attaché of the Ministry, Elena Rafti, who emphasized the importance of environmental responsibility and circular economy in modern defence strategy.
During the meeting practical applications and implementation examples of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) by the Armed Forces of the participating countries were presented. Moreover, various ways to integrate circular economy principles into military procedures and infrastructures were analysed, and the policies and technical tools for the successful implementation of EMAS in military facilities were discussed.
The press release said that a core element of the meeting was the training of the participants on the digital tool which was been developed under the project, aiming to support the systematic and effective development of Environmental Management Systems in the Armed Forces.
The tool is designed to guide military personnel in the gradual adoption of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), by providing practical guidance, standard documents, and assessment methodologies. Through the tool, the recording, monitoring, and improvement of the environmental performance of military facilities is facilitated, contributing to compliance with European environmental requirements and strengthening environmental responsibility within the defence sector, the press release added.
Organizing this meeting is part of the Republic of Cyprus’s strategic plan to promote green transition, environmental management, and transnational cooperation in the field of defence, in alignment with the goals of the European Green Deal and international environmental commitments, the concluded.
