Student name: Anna Zenonos

Short bio: Anna Zenonos has obtained her BSc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Cyprus in 2021,  and she continued her studies obtaining an MSc in Applied Mathematics, with specialization in Plasma Physics, from KU Leuven, Belgium, in 2023. She is currently pursuing her PhD, a joint doctorate, between the Cyprus Institute (CyI) and Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement -LSCE at University Paris-Saclay.

PhD year of study: 1^st year

PhD supervision: Professor Jean Sciare (CyI) and Professor Philippe Ciais (LSCE, University Paris-Saclay).

 PhD Institution: The Cyprus Institute and Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement-LSCE at University Paris-Saclay.

Thesis title and description: “Development of the first national airborne tree inventory for Cyprus and the estimation of tree carbon stock and carbon emissions of buildings over Cyprus”.

The study aims in the creation of a monitoring system of tree resources using state-of-art methods, something that is currently missing for Cyprus. In addition, the estimation of carbon stock of trees and carbon emissions of buildings will assist in the construction of effective strategies aiming to the reduction of carbon emissions and finally, to the achievement of carbon neutrality.

Relevance of Edu4Climate to your project: The study’s aims align with the “Fit for 55” plan that refers to the target of the European Union for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030​.  Moreover, the development of a forest monitoring system contributes to the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) greenhouse inventory by covering a significant gap in knowledge for Cyprus. Therefore, the results of this research will contribute to addressing challenges related to air pollution and climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region, one of the main objectives of the Edu4Climate project.

 On Saturday, June 29, 2024, the Finokalia Open Science festival was successfully held in Ano Merambello, in the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos, in Crete.

The festival took place at the University of Crete’s environmental station in Finokalia.

Experiments and demonstrations were conducted by research teams from the University of Crete, FORTH, HCMR, the Natural History Museum of Crete, and the 2nd Science Lab Center of Heraklion.

A total of seven teams presented activities for both children and adults.

As night fell, the festival continued with musical performances by University of Crete ensembles and local artists.

The 4^th Annual Online Workshop on Innovation in Atmospheric Measurement techniques took place on Thursday, 27^th of June, 2024, as an EU Green Week 2024 Partner Event.

The half-day online event brought together atmospheric science communities to exchange and discuss the latest advancements, such as new technologies, products, and services in atmospheric measurement techniques and modeling. Attendees also had the chance to network, strengthen local and regional partnerships, and bolster their national capacity to address the climate crisis.

129 participants from 32 different countries attended the workshop, including researchers, and industry professionals in the atmospheric sciences.

Prof Jean Sciare, Director of CARE-C, gave the introductory speech welcoming all the participants and presenters at the workshop.  20 presentations followed, delivered by speakers from 10 countries, including academics, representatives from research institutions, and private companies, actively involved in the innovation and R&D in atmospheric measurement techniques.

Organisers: The workshop was hosted by three EU RIs working in the Atmospheric Measurements remit, ACTRIS, ICOS and IAGOS, together with the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) and it was supported by the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (EMME-CARE)  and Edu4Climate Consortium partners,  as well as the ENVRINNOV  Horizon project.

More information about the workshop, including a recording,  can be found here.

Research scientists of CARE-C at the Cyprus Institute, in collaboration with representatives of RAYMETRICS, partners of the Edu4Climate Horizon project (coordinated by CARE-C), have completed a new research campaign, as part of the Edu4Climate’s objective to co-develop innovative environmental products and services with surrounding ecosystems, in order to address climate-relevant challenges across the EMME region. The campaign took place on 8-31 May, 2024.

A CARE-C team, led by Associate Research Scientist, Dr Maria Kezoudi,  and members of the Cyprus Atmospheric Observatory (CAO) and the Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory (USRL) facilities of the Centre, collected data using sensors on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which were flown at air pollution hotspots in Cyprus. This data will be used to validate new, advanced PMeye lidar technology, which will then be utilised to enhance the accurate measurement of emissions in real-world environmental monitoring scenarios, such as ship plumes and emissions from power plants.

The campaign was organised within the context of the Edu4Climate Horizon programme. The Edu4Climate Consortium received funding of €2 million from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Coordination & Support Action (CSA) “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme (under grant agreement no. 101071247) for the establishment of a European Higher Education Institutions Network for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union, nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Between February 2023 and May 2024, 53 schools visited the Finokalia station, in Crete, selected from 97 applicants and involving around 1,500 students and 100 teachers. Students engaged in various activities such as drama, games, and climate change presentations.

Schools participating in Erasmus+ projects also took part, hosting visiting teachers and students from Italy, France, Spain, and Turkey.

Visitors experienced an integrated, hands-on programme designed for students and teachers, which promotes climate change education in secondary schools. This programme, grounded in scientific data from long-term atmospheric observations, highlights the seriousness of climate change and the risks of inaction

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Crete, partner of the Edu4Climate project, organised a number of school visits during March 2024. More specifically, several school visits took place at the Finokalia station and the pupils had the chance to interact with scientists and get informed about climate change, air pollution and their interactions.

The Finokalia atmospheric monitoring station is operated by the Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory (ECPL) of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Crete since 1993. The station is representative for the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere and has attracted strong scientific attention in the fields of atmospheric composition, air quality and climate change. It also reports to authorities as the regional background station for Greece.

Visits in the frame of the national EDU4clima and the Erasmus+ Climademy projects, created synergies with the Edu4climate project, maximizing the impact of the educational visits and the visibility of the aims and scopes of the project.

The project Edu4Climate received funding of €2 million from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme under agreement 101071247, to lead capacity-building actions in Cyprus and Greece, the strengthening of their Higher Education European networks and their cooperation with a specific focus on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME).

On Tuesday, 7^th of November 2023, the 3rd Annual Online Workshop on Climate and Atmosphere Research and Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean & Middle East, organised by CARE-C of the Cyprus Institute, was successfully concluded.

This one-day online event brought together the international scientific community in order to discuss the latest innovations and exchange knowledge on the science of climate change and air pollution, as well as to highlight related challenges, impacts and potential solutions for the EMME region. The workshop also provided a great opportunity for networking and enhancing regional collaboration and national capacities for addressing the climate crisis.

Prof Charbel Afif, a professor at Saint Joseph University in Lebanon and an adjunct professor at the Cyprus Institute gave the introductory speech welcoming all the participants at the workshop. His opening speech was followed by 22 oral (including 3 keynote speakers) and 34 VPICO presentations delivered by representatives of universities, research institutions and private companies, actively engaged in the topics of air pollution and research innovations related on climate change.

More than 340 scientists, researchers, students and industry professionals in the area of research & innovation on climate change and air pollution in the EMME region, registered and participated at the workshop, from over 50 countries.

The workshop was organized within the framework of the H2020 Teaming Project EMME-CARE (emme-care.cyi.ac.cy), and the Horizon Europe project Edu4Climate (edu4climate.cyi.ac.cy).  The workshop organization was led by CARE-C, The Cyprus Institute, with the contribution of the EMME-CARE Advanced Partners and the Edu4Climate Consortium partners.

For more information about the outcomes of the workshop can be found in the link below:

https://emme-care.cyi.ac.cy/3rd-emme-climate-workshop/

The 2^nd Autumn School, organised by CARE-C of the Cyprus Institute, entitled ‘Atmospheric Measurements Using Miniaturised Sensors and Drones’, held from 30 Oct-3 Nov, 2023, has successfully been concluded!

The week-long course took place at the Cyprus Institute’s premises in Nicosia, Cyprus and it was attended by 13 students from 10 different countries including Lebanon, Finland, the UK, India, Belgium and other.

The main focus of this year’s autumn school was both practical and theoretical approaches in miniaturised sensors and drone technologies and it included short lectures as well as a field trip to Orounda airfield where students had the opportunity to participate in drone test flights and collect data that were further analysed and reported. The aim of the course was to teach the students the whole cycle of scientific field work, from how to design measurements, collect data, analyse data to publishing a report of the experimental work and data.

This Autumn School was organized within the framework of the H2020 Teaming Project EMME-CARE (emme-care.cyi.ac.cy), and the Horizon Europe project Edu4Climate (edu4climate.cyi.ac.cy).  Course organization was led by CARE-C, The Cyprus Institute, with the contribution of the EMME-CARE Advanced Partners and the Edu4Climate Consortium partners.

The 2^nd partner meeting of the Edu4Climate project, coordinated by CARE-C of the Cyprus Institute, took place on 27 October, 2023, at the University of Crete, in Greece. The project partners came together to discuss the progress of the project so far, as well as next steps.

The Edu4Climate project aims to engage its European Partners in order to strengthen and align their respective Educational and Training programs in Climate and Atmosphere science, establish new impact-oriented Research Infrastructures on decarbonization and atmospheric model prediction, and co-develop innovative environmental products and services with their respective surrounding ecosystems to address climate-relevant challenges across the EMME region. Edu4ClimAte will enhance local, regional, and international clusters led by its consortium to build the foundations for an inclusive European Universities Alliance in Climate & Atmospheric Sciences to support the EU Green Deal ambition and its regional challenges, as well as train and educate the next generation of researchers and innovators to achieve the EU long-term 2050 climate-neutrality objectives.

The project Edu4Climate received funding of €2 million from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe “European Excellence Initiative” (EEI) programme under agreement 101071247, to lead capacity-building actions in Cyprus and Greece, the strengthening of their Higher Education European networks and their cooperation with a specific focus on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME).

CARE-C of the Cyprus Institute, in collaboration with the Municipality of Aglantzia, has installed an electronic signboard at a central point on Kyrenia Street, which was provided by the Municipality, which displays real-time information to citizens on air quality in the area.  This initiative is the first in a series of upcoming actions organized by the Centre in cooperation with the Municipality of Aglantzia, aiming to inform and educate citizens about air pollution and climate change.

The data is taken directly from the Centre’s Cyprus Atmospheric Observatory (CAO) station, located at the Cyprus Institute’s premises in Nicosia, and includes percentages of the most common air pollutants in the atmosphere such as Nitrogen Oxides (No_x), Ozone (O₃), Fine and Coarse Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 και PM₁₀) as well as the overall air quality index.

A webpage has been published, explaining the different measurements and colour coding used on the signboard in Greek. You can find the website here.

This action was implemented in the framework of the ‘Edu4Climate’ project, coordinated by the Institute, which secured €2 million of funding from the European Commission through the European Excellence Initiative (EEI) Competitive Programme of Horizon Europe (under grant agreement no. 101071247).