A tree planting event was held, co-organised by the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI), the Ministry of Tourism, the Office of the Commissioner for the Environment, the Department of Forests, and the Municipality of Aglantzia, in Aglantzia.
The trees were provided by the Department of Forests as part of the “Plant for Climate” program.
The commitment of “one tree per delegate,” stemming from the Pan-Cypriot Conference “Is climate change a threat to tourism?” was fulfilled.
Organisers planted a tree for each delegate who participated in the Pan-Cypriot Conference held on October 19, 2023, by the Ministry of Tourism and the CSTI.
Alongside this commitment, the conference organisers aimed, among other things, to demonstrate practically that our choices can have a positive impact on the environment and the climate crisis, achieving zero waste at the conference.
Nearly 300 plants were planted in a space provided by the Municipality of Aglantzia, carefully selected to be indigenous and suitable for the region’s climatic conditions.
The contribution of the Municipality of Aglantzia, through providing space and the services of its green team, was crucial for the event’s success.
Commissioner for the Environment, Antonia Theodosiou, congratulated all involved in the event, stating that “tree planting and the creation of green spaces are significant actions in the effort to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis and reduce atmospheric pollutants, as trees act as natural absorbers of atmospheric carbon dioxide, sequestering it from the atmosphere and storing it in plant biomass.”
She also noted that “tree planting does not stop at simply placing the root in the ground. Good planning and programming of actions for their care and maintenance in the coming years are required,” expressing the intention of the Commissioner’s Office “to give tree planting initiatives an identity aimed at carbon offsetting resulting from such initiatives.”
She concluded by highlighting the contribution of rockeries to enhancing biodiversity, even in urban areas.
Mayor of Aglantzia, Andreas Constantinou, pledged that the Municipality of Aglantzia would undertake the maintenance of the planted trees, recognizing the benefits for both the environment and the citizens.
He also thanked the personnel of the green team for their practical contribution to maintaining the Municipality’s greenery.
President of the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI), Mr Philippos Drousiotis, stated that “we are particularly happy to see our commitment become a reality today. We, as tourism professionals, can implement actions for the climate (SDG13).”
He further emphasized the importance of such collaborations, such as that between CSTI and the Ministry of Tourism, the Office of the Commissioner for the Environment, the Department of Forests, and the Municipality of Aglantzia, which can only have positive results for Cyprus.
