Half of Cyprus’ beaches ‘could vanish in the next 50 years’

Half of Cyprus’ beaches may disappear within the next 50 years due to rising sea levels, climate scientist Dr Giorgos Zittis from the Cyprus Institute has warned.

“Sea level rise is expected to destroy around 50 per cent of Cyprus’ beaches,” he said on Monday.

Most of Cyprus’ infrastructure – such as airports, shipping ports and power plants – is located near the sea, making them vulnerable to rising sea levels. The country’s tourism industry, which centres on beaches, would also suffer from these risks.