Dean of the Near East University Faculty of Agriculture, who is also the Chairman of the TRNC Presidency Tourism and Environment Commission. Dr. Özge Özden, in her statement on June 5, World Environment Day, warned that global climate change has reached a level that will seriously affect the whole world.
Changes in nature as a result of global climate changes and human intervention are turning the world into an uninhabitable planet step by step. Moreover, this situation, which experts have been warning about for many years, has now become visible.
Emphasizing the scientific studies and international studies that reveal the effects of global climate changes and the direct damage of humans to the environment, Near East University Faculty of Agriculture Dean Prof. Dr. Özge Özden warned on June 5, World Environment Day, that global climate change has reached a level that will seriously affect the whole world.
3 billion wild birds have disappeared in North America alone!
He is also the Chairman of the TRNC Presidency Tourism and Environment Commission. Dr. One of the studies that Özge Özden drew attention to points out to a very striking result. Stating that a study conducted by Cornell University Bird Research Center in 2019 showed that we lost about 3 billion wild birds in North America, Prof. Dr. Özden emphasizes that the main reason for this situation is human actions.
Reminding that a report of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services revealed that approximately one million plant and animal species are in danger of extinction, Prof. Dr. Özden said, "We are in a truly global biodiversity crisis," said Woody Turner, a scientist at NASA's Biodiversity Research Program, which monitors biodiversity data with satellites. Not only are we losing all species, but we are also seeing reductions in the number of plants and animals that are important to natural ecosystems," he said, revealing the extent of the danger we are facing.
prof. Dr. Özge Özden: “We are scientifically researching climate changes in our country with 3 international projects that we are a part of.”
Stating that the scientific studies carried out are of vital importance to determine how environmental changes affect different plant and animal species in ecosystems, Prof. Dr. Özge Özden also gave information about the international projects that researchers from the Near East University Faculty of Agriculture and Cyprus Herbarium and Natural History Museum are involved in to monitor the consequences of climate change. "We are scientifically researching climate changes in our country with 3 international projects of which we are a part," said Prof. Dr. Özden stated that the first of these projects was carried out by Near East University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. He said that Salih Gücel, in collaboration with scientists from France, is a project in which caves in Cyprus are examined and changes are measured.
Within the scope of another project, Prof. from the University of Exeter. Dr. Jason Chapman and Dr. Expressing that they are examining "insect migration" with the project they carried out with Will Hawkes, Prof. Dr. Ozge Ozden, Prof. Dr. He said that they carried out the research project "The effects of climate change in endangered plant species and the effects of pollinator insect on the life of these plants", which they carried out with Salih Gücel, in cooperation with Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Touching on the importance of waste management to protect the environment, President of TRNC Presidential Tourism and Environment Commission Prof. Özge Özden said, “Under the auspices of Mrs. Sibel Tatar, the precious wife of TRNC President Ersin Tatar, together with Tatlısu Municipality, we have successfully completed the Tatlısu Pilot Region Recycling project, and we have recycled 80 percent of the waste in the region.”
Individual efforts can make a big impact!
"Unless human beings begin to live in harmony and respect for nature, the effects of global climate changes will continue to increase," warned Prof. Dr. Özden said, “We must accept the fact that global climate change affects the whole world, and reconsider our lifestyle on a more conscious and environmentalist level. Individual efforts are also extremely valuable. Even seemingly simple daily activities such as less consumption, conscious use of water, recycling activities, evaluation of organic waste, and creating more green spaces can positively affect our planet.
"It is also extremely important that local governments take both urban planning and rural planning projects professionally with an environmentalist approach," said Prof. Dr. Özge Özden said, “Subjects such as the protection of creek beds, the protection of agricultural lands, and the harvesting of rainwater should now be on the agenda in our country as well. These issues should be taken into account by both private and state institutions.