Experts from the European Commission, the European Environment Agency, the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the Energy Community Secretariat joined the discussions with topical presentations on the international energy and climate policy landscape. The meeting was also attended by officers from national authorities of Cyprus such as the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, and the Fiscal Council of the country.

 

The Paris Agreement’s target for holding the increase in global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels calls on all countries to prepare increasingly ambitious decarbonization strategies. This objective is currently challenged by increasing costs of energy and raw materials, labour shortages around Europe, and regulatory barriers that do not allow for the fast implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy investments. The meeting provided the opportunity for experts involved in the development of integrated energy and climate plans to exchange their knowledge and learn from each other’s experience on these topics. On the last day, participants were offered a guided tour of the PROTEAS research facility, the largest green energy research infrastructure in Cyprus.