New report identifies high levels of desertification in Cyprus

A report published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) on August 3, 2026, highlights that Cyprus is among the European Union countries most severely affected by land degradation and desertification. The study, titled “Towards a better characterisation of land degradation and desertification in the European Union,” utilizes an updated methodology to map these environmental challenges. According to the data, 45% of Cyprus’s land is currently experiencing desertification, ranking it second in the EU behind Spain, which leads at 53%, while Greece follows at 36%.

Beyond land area, the report identifies a significant social impact in Cyprus, which records the highest proportion of its population living in affected areas within the bloc. Approximately 61% of the island's residents—roughly 0.7 million people—are directly impacted by these conditions. Greece follows in this metric at 47%, with Spain at 43%, Romania at 39%, and Bulgaria at 37%. Researchers define land degradation as a long-term reduction in soil quality and productivity driven by a combination of human activity and natural causes, noting that desertification specifically affects dry areas. Across the EU, drylands cover 15% of the territory, with 42 million people currently living in regions suffering from desertification.