SUMMER SCHOLARS BLOG : María Cerdio

Green Line, Greener Future

Γειά σου/ Merhaba / Hello from Cyprus!

It is 8am and the temperature is already 35°C when I reach the checkpoint. "Yassou," the guard greets me in Greek as I hand in my UN ID -- a magic key that allows me to move freely across the island. The Ledra Palace stretches behind me. Once a glamorous hotel, the iconic building is better known now as a base of the UN Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP). I keep walking down the empty road. After three minutes that feel like thirty under the scorching sun, I spot the sign announcing in bold, red letters: "TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS FOREVER". Another greeting, another ID check: "Teşekkürler!," I thank the guard in awkward Turkish. I am finally past no-man's land, until the afternoon when I'll be back to do it all again.

Walking through the Buffer Zone every day makes the Cyprus Problem tangible for me. Also called the Green Line after the pencil used to draw it on a map, this de facto border spans 180km, splitting the island into the majority-Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus in the south and the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north. I knew that the division of the island involves strong political tensions. But there are impacts on everyday life I hadn't anticipated.

Nowhere is this reality more striking than in Nicosia, the "last divided capital of Europe", where I am living this summer. The enduring conflict is physically manifest in the barbed fences and checkpoints that cut across the city and the abandoned buildings stranded in between. The infrastructure of the Turkish Cypriot side of the city is in stark contrast to the south, which makes issues like waste and water management difficult. And as my commute has shown me, there are practical challenges as well: bus routes stop abruptly, cars cannot cross without special permits, the currency is different, and cellular data cuts off on the other side.

This unique context makes tackling environmental issues particularly challenging. While jurisdictions may stop at the Buffer Zone, nature does not. Problems on one part of the island spill over the border and, without coordination, a one-sided response can exacerbate vulnerabilities and risks deepening inequalities between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

That is why in 2008 the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders established the Technical Committee on Environment (TCE), one of twelve such bodies that promote cooperation on shared issues. Yet almost two decades later, there has been little meaningful progress. Funding, capacity, and political challenges hinder the TCE's ability to meet the scale and urgency of the island's environmental problems.

The UNDP Cyprus Team

That is why in 2008 the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders established the Technical Committee on Environment (TCE), one of twelve such bodies that promote cooperation on shared issues. Yet almost two decades later, there has been little meaningful progress. Funding, capacity, and political challenges hinder the TCE's ability to meet the scale and urgency of the island's environmental problems.

Thanks to the UNA-NYC's generous support, I've had the incredible opportunity to join UNDP in Cyprus for three months, where I am working with the Technical Committee on Environment to shape an island-wide strategy for protecting the environment and addressing climate change. At the core of this initiative is a conviction that shared environmental challenges can be a powerful entry-point for peacebuilding. By encouraging dialogue and cooperation around critical issues, communities across the island have an opportunity to build trust and reinforce the foundation for lasting reconciliation.

My Experience So Far

With my team at UNDP, I facilitated the TCE's first strategic planning workshop, where we prepared plans on issues like pest management and invasive species, water management, habitat protection, natural disaster risk preparedness and response, and the restoration of former mining sites. The committee does not currently have the capacity to carry out these ideas, however, so I've been tasked with proposing an operational framework and coordination mechanisms that can close this gap. The proposal will be presented to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, the EU, and the UN good offices. If accepted, it could unlock resources and investment that are essential for the TCE to drive ambitious environmental action.

Searching for turtle nests in Karpaz/Karpasia

To better understand current barriers (and enablers) to cooperation, I've done site visits to the TCE's bi-communal environmental projects that UNDP supports. For example, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot beekeepers recently came together for a workshop on pest management. It was their first substantial contact since the 1960s, driven by a common struggle against mites that are decimating Cyprus' bee population. I also visited a turtle conservation site where, through the TCE, NGOs from the north and south launched an app where the public can report issues like plastic pollution that affect marine habitats.

Over the next month, I'll be conducting more in-depth interviews and visits with civil society organizations. I will explore the barriers and concerns that make them reluctant to collaborate with the TCE and with their counterparts on the other side of the island, and analyze best practices from successful examples. These insights will hopefully inform the TCE's approach to stakeholder engagement, bringing more diverse voices to the table and expanding the committee's impact through partnerships.

It's my first time working on a project of this scale, which is both humbling and incredibly exciting. I feel lucky to work alongside committed Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot colleagues who are passionate about bringing their communities together, and whose stories have helped me understand the deeply personal dimensions of the Cyprus issue.

It has also been fascinating to get an inside view of policymaking in such a complex context. When there is no island-wide environmental authority and things like using the wrong terminology on a document can delay progress for months, the political challenges of addressing climate change come into full view. How does one “do” policy in a place where “state” and “citizen” are dangerous words?

Of course, Cyprus is much more than the conflict. Nestled between three continents, Cyprus holds a rich history and vastly diverse cultural influences. Churches sit across from mosques (or in the case of the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Nicosia, one is inside the other!); dishes combine Greek, Middle Eastern, and Turkish favors. Alongside the incredible food and enchanting medieval villages, exploring the coast and mountains has been a highlight of my time here so far. I hope to use every chance I get to continue exploring this beautiful island, as connecting with the people and the land make my work with UNDP and the TCE feel all the more urgent.

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We hope you enjoyed these excerpts from María’s blog. Be sure to bookmark this link to follow all her blog posts this summer!

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Our Summer Scholars Blog, a collection of reports from post-grad scholars that UNA-NYC has sponsored globally, showcases our fellows' experiences with UN agencies and non-governmental organizations in the country where they are working. Learn more about our Summer Scholars fellowship program and fellows here.