Title:
Blue Limassol Environmental Risk Assessment
Duration:
~2 years (May 2020 – February 2022)
Funded by:
Limassol Municipality
Subcontracted by:
Frederick University (Department of Maritime Transport & Commerce)
Project Description:
The Blue Limassol Risk Assessment Project falls under the Blue Limassol Forum initiative, a strategic collaboration between the Limassol Municipality and Frederick University, which brings together maritime professionals, environmentalists, regulators, and academics to address the great challenges facing the city of Limassol, including the ecological protection of the sea, coastal and waterfront areas, and to safeguard sustainable growth and environmental protection of the sea and coastal environment.
The Risk Assessment project aimed at responding to the concerns of citizens of Limassol regarding threats to the sea and coastal environment expressed in an extensive opinion survey that took place in the first Blue Limassol Forum event in May 2020. The project had two main objectives: a) To identify and assess potential threats to the sea and coastal environment of Limassol, arising from the industrial activity of several industries, including Commercial Shipping (Port), Marinas and Yachting, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Oil and Gas exploration, Coastal Construction and Litter and Sewage and b) To provide recommendations regarding best practices to alleviate these threats.
MER was responsible to implement the risk assessment studies for four sectors, Fishing, Aquaculture, Municipality Solid Waste / Litter and Sewage Waste. For each assessment the sector was described both in terms of global but most importantly local level. The risks and hazards of each sector on the marine environment were identified and ranked according to likelihood and impact level. For each hazard, mitigation strategies were suggested that could be applied locally to minimize the risk or likelihood of the hazard occurring.
