Cyprus Academy receives grant from InterAcademy Partnership for climate research

The Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts has been awarded a grant from the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), which will support the Academy’s project entitled: “Threats to the Mediterranean Marine Ecosystems in a Warming World.”

The Cyprus Academy says in a press release that ‘’this initiative, led by the Cyprus Academy in collaboration with the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) and the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), underscores the Cyprus Academy’s commitment to scientific excellence and regional cooperation in addressing critical global challenges.’’

"The project focuses on the escalating threats posed by climate change to marine ecosystems, with particular emphasis on the Eastern Mediterranean—an area of high vulnerability but limited research coverage,’’ the press release notes.

"As extreme weather events—rising temperatures, medicanes, flash floods, and prolonged droughts—increasingly affect the 22 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Basin, the region’s marine and coastal ecosystems face unprecedented risks. These include sea acidification, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and the proliferation of invasive species, all of which threaten biodiversity and ecological balance," the press release adds.

"Building on the foundational work of the Cyprus Government’s Cyprus Climate Initiative (https://emme-cci.org), this project will deepen scientific understanding of climate-induced stressors on the Mediterranean’s marine environments and contribute to informed policy development at regional, European and international levels," the press release reads.

It is further added that "the grant is awarded under the auspices of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network comprising more than 150 national, regional, and global academies of science, engineering, and medicine."

"Representing the collective voice of over 30,000 leading scientists, engineers, and health professionals from more than 100 countries, IAP mobilizes scientific knowledge and expertise to advance evidence-based policymaking, improve public health, enhance science education, and promote sustainable development," the press release says. 

"Through strategic initiatives and collaborative projects such as this one—supported by the Simons Foundation International—IAP addresses urgent global challenges, including climate change, food and water security, global health, and equitable access to knowledge," it notes.

A key focus is "on fostering enduring partnerships between high-income and low- and middle-income countries to co-develop science-based solutions to shared challenges."

This achievement marks a significant milestone for the Cyprus Academy, as it represents the first competitive international grant awarded to the institution. The President of the Cyprus Academy, Professor Achilles C. Emilianides, hailed the award as “a testament to the Academy’s scientific calibre and the growing recognition of its role as a trusted interlocutor within the international academic community.”

The project is led by Academician Professor Costas N. Papanicolas and will be conducted under the auspices of the Cyprus Academy’s newly established Research Office on Climate Crisis and Sustainable Development, the press release concludes.

(Source: CNA)