Search

The degree of preservation and the extractability of organic molecules in both archaeological and paleontological skeletal material has been the objective of many studies during the last decades and have shown extremely promising and interesting results (Schweitzer et al., 1997, 2007; Poulakakis et al., 2002; Schmidt-Schultz & Schultz, 2004; Dotsika et al., 2011). Studies on such molecules via various protocols of extraction as well as isotopic and spectroscopic analyses (Stathopoulou et al., 2008; Dotsika et al., 2011; Kontopoulos et al., 2019) have led to important information concerning evolutionary, environmental and diagenetic issues. Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in skeletal material and its preservation in fossil material may indicate the preservation of other extremely important biomolecules such as DNA (Turner-Walker et al., 2008). This paper aims to present results concerning the evaluation of organic preservation as well as the extraction and quantification of collagen in samples from the Quaternary locations of Tilos and Dispilio (Greece) and Aghia Napa (Cyprus). Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR and NIR) was applied to all samples, prior to extraction in means of collagen prescreening and following extraction (where successful), to study the exact composition of the extracts and examine the correlation between collagen preservation and the samples' diagenetic profile (Stathopoulou et al., 2008; Kuczumow et al., 2010; Cleland et al., 2015; Stathopoulou et al., 2019). The extraction of collagen was attempted via modifications of the Longin (1971) method and specifically those of Maspero et al. (2011), Semal and Orban (1995) and Ambrose (1990). According to our results, only the Ambrose method led to successful collagen extraction and specifically only in the Dispilio samples. The collagen yield values for this material varied significantly (0,3–6,1% w/w) and seemed to strongly correlate to the different contexts found within the archaeological site. The IR analysis of the extracted Dispilio collagen indicated the presence of impurities such as carbonates and subsequently raised questions relating to the efficacy of the extraction method. Issues concerning geochemical and diagenetic parameters within the strata of the waterlogged site of Dispilio that could be connected to the different collagen yield as well as the methodological problems that emerged during the attempted extraction in all samples are discussed as well as the applicability of these methods on samples with reduced organic content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coastal exhumations present challenges due their singular hydrogeological and environmental conditions. • Practical solutions for documenting and recovering skeletal remains at coastal locations. • The techniques presented could be applied equally to a humanitarian or criminal investigation. This paper reports on coastal exhumations performed during 2006–2022, under the framework of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) humanitarian identification programme. CMP archaeologists investigated 217 coastal locations and recovered skeletal remains on 44 occasions. Challenging environmental conditions required a customized exhumation plan, which could be executed swiftly without compromising operational integrity or standards. The author performed a retrospective analysis to propose an optimized strategy, which includes a survey, exhumation, digital documentation, and post-processing components, with the aim of minimizing the effects of adverse environmental conditions. The proposed strategy is based on scientific standards and observations in the field; it can satisfy the needs of a humanitarian or criminal investigation if appropriate measures are taken to uphold legislative and forensic standards. The author also discussed the taphonomic effects of coastal erosion and wave activity in tandem with exhumation recommendations to assist forensic practitioners involved in similar investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper explores human mobility in Byzantine Cyprus, using the site of the Hill of Agios Georgios in Nicosia as a case study. The analysis of mobility is based on strontium isotopic data, with the aim of identifying non-local individuals and estimating their frequency in different periods of use of the site (Early Christian and Late Byzantine/Frankish). As a complementary line of evidence, dental calculus microdebris analysis was conducted to explore the potential existence of imported plants as well as any differences in the diet and environment between local and non-local individuals. The isotopic results identified one individual who likely originated outside Cyprus and several more, the number of which differs pending on the bioavailable baseline used, who were non-local to the burial site. These non-local individuals temporally span both periods under study but they are more common in the Late Byzantine/Frankish assemblage, which is in agreement with historical data pointing to elevated mobility throughout Byzantine times but more so in the later periods. From the analysis of dental calculus microremains, we only retrieved identifiable starches from individuals of non-local origin; thus, these were difficult to interpret. A small amount of starch from the millet tribe, however, allowed us to make important considerations regarding the interpretation of dental calculus data in periods of time and locations where human mobility was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our paper (Nicolaou et al., 2020) we used age-graded mandibles to draw attritional mortality profiles which challenge the hypothesis that the hippo bone accumulation of Aetokremnos resulted from human hunting. Simmons et al. (2022) raised concerns about the methodology we used compared to the methodology used by Wopschall (2014) who drew prime-dominated mortality profiles on the very same material. Here, we compare the two methodologies, and we explain why our use of age-graded mandibles is more reliable than the use of isolated m1 and m2 molars used by Wopschall. We also address some of the commenter's objections to the arguments raised by chronology, stratigraphy and taphonomy studies which were cited in our article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutrality has been a global consensus to navigate away from catastrophic climate change. In particular, such climate changes also generate inevitable influences on economic securities, such as energy security and food security, through energy structure transformation etc. Energy and food are essential elements for human beings, and they are naturally linked to sustainable development. Usually, emergency events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, may threaten energy security or food security in a region, the risk of which would be amplified due to the energy-food nexus effect. This is no doubt also a challenge and an opportunity for countries to achieve carbon neutrality. To realize the stable pathways to carbon neutrality, it is important to analyze the energy scarcity risk and food scarcity risk of each industry and country as well as the nexus effect between energy and food. In this paper, we combine multi-regional input-output (MRIO) analysis with network control analysis (NCA) to investigate the dependence degree of each country and region on energy and food resources as well as the risk transmission network of the energy-food scarcity nexus. Base on this, the impact of climate policy on energy-food nexus scarcity risk is analyzed. We found some interesting conclusions. First, regarding the risk transmission network of the energy-food scarcity nexus, China, Germany and the US are the main generators, and the main receptors are Taiwan, Mexico and the Netherlands. These results imply that international trade transfers energy/food scarcity to geographically distant regions via the international supply chain. Second, as for the scarcity risk per unit of output, small economies that rely heavily on imported energy or food (such as Cyprus and Luxemburg) have the highest scarcity risk and are among the top receptors of transmitted risks. We suggest collaborative conservation and management of energy and food resources. Third, the analyses that assess the emission intensity and scarcity risk find that implementation of emission control policies could significantly decrease initial energy scarcity risk and energy-food nexus scarcity risk. This implies that besides emission reduction achievement, climate policies bring co-benefits of energy-food nexus security. Moreover, the co-benefit of energy and food nexus security for low income economies associated with climate policy is much higher than that for high income economies. • Characterized energy-food scarcity to track the risk transmission network. • Developed MRIO and NCA models to investigate the dependence degree of nexus. • Weighed initial risk of energy-food scarcity against intensity-based scheme. • Identified scarcity nexus and control allocation matrix. • Explored trends in transmission network of integral energy-food resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Assessment of MBT plants in Spain, Greece and Cyprus. • Optimal solution should be built upon a thorough sorting and recyclables recovery line. • Main revenues are contributed by the corrugated cardboard, the HDPE, and metals. • The high calorific value non-recycled materials should be used as alternative fuel. • Plants that mix the organic fraction with other organics achieve better quality compost. Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT; called "dirty" Materials Recovery Facilities in the U.S.) is a waste management method, developed mostly in Europe, which combines sorting of recyclable materials (metals, paper, plastics, glass) with composting/digestion of green/ food wastes and, in some cases production of a fuel material. In 2018–19, the authors visited six MBT facilities in Europe that use different approaches for the recovery of materials and energy from mixed MSW. These plants were studied with respect to feedstock composition, operating conditions, capital expenditure, financial viability and environmental impacts. The compost product of most facilities examined did not comply with agricultural standards and, therefore, it was classified as compost-like output (CLO) and used as daily cover in landfills. The best composting practice used source separated organic materials (yard and other green wastes) and yielded a marketable compost. MBT plants that did not include the recovery of fuel materials had lower landfill diversion rates and, also, lower capital and operating costs. It was concluded that an MBT plant must include a very efficient sorting and recyclables recovery line and charge a sufficient gate fee. Also, in addition to the recycled products, there should be a stream to recover fuel materials sent to a power plant or cement plant, thus increasing revenue, and landfill diversion, and maximizing greenhouse gas (GHG) savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial sector is one of the biggest oil consumers in Cyprus, corresponding to 20% of the fuel consumption. A parabolic trough collector (PTC) system seems the best option to produce clean thermal energy at higher temperatures than those that can be achieved from the already widely used flat plate collectors on the island. This paper presents a simulation model built to investigate the performance of the first industrial PTC system in Cyprus, installed at the Cyprus biggest soft drinks factory. The simulation model is built in TRNSYS and is validated using data from the real PTC system installed at the factory. The results show a very good fitting between the operating parameters and the power output of the Solar Field (SF), Concrete Thermal Storage System (CTES), and the Steam Generator (SG). The average percentage relative error of the system's contribution to the process is less than 6.32% for the daily steam production and during a week did not exceed 6.45%. The novelty of this study is the development of a design tool that can be used by potential interested industries to identify the suitable system that fits their needs. All data are provided in the form of graphs and allow anyone to use as input data the thermal energy demand and required steam temperature of the industry to retrieve information about the size of a suitable system which satisfies these requirements depending on each case. The payback period for all cases examined varies from 2 to 6 years, depending on the size of the system. • Validated dynamic simulation model of a PTC system working under various operation modes for Industrial Process Heat application. • Evaluation of the operation modes and strategies developed to make the PTC system dispatchable. • A scaled up model for of the validated dynamic simulation model. • Development of a tool for potential interested industries in Cyprus for PTC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind offers an excellent opportunity for domestic renewable energy production with a vast potential for future energy systems. Offshore wind resource assessment, however, can be challenging. Remote sensing data e.g., Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), provide high spatial resolution detailed information on the spatial variability of offshore wind and have been used for wind resource assessment, as well as for the long-term validation of wind speed estimates from other sources (e.g. Numerical Weather Prediction models). This paper focuses on the evaluation of a 26-month time-series of Sentinel-1 SAR Level 2 OCN products for wind resource assessment in the offshore areas around Cyprus. Sentinel data were evaluated against a 10-year regional reanalysis dataset (UERRA) time-series and wind measurements from 5 coastal meteorological stations in Cyprus. Comparison revealed an overall agreement between the fitted stations and Sentinel Weibull distributions while discrepancies exist between the two data sources and UERRA. Bias observed between Sentinel and UERRA Weibull-derived statistics appears to be spatially dependent. Preliminary wind power assessment results indicate a significant wind power potential for the southwestern offshore areas of Cyprus, surpassing 400 W / m 2 on average, offering thus economically viable solutions in terms of a future offshore wind power project development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, which calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable clean energy for everyone, is expected to influence near-future trends in many countries across the European Union. Retrofitting buildings is an important milestone in the evolutionary development of energy-efficient residential buildings, yet a significant proportion of the south-eastern European social-housing stock is obsolete in this area; in addition to effective retrofitting strategies for these buildings, the occupants thereof, who represent different socio-demographic backgrounds, also require in-depth study. Even though this subject has been widely investigated, new approaches that consider connections between technology and the behavioural responses of residents are needed to continuously update retrofitting design strategies and energy-efficiency solutions. This paper aims to fill a research gap in the area of developing an evidence-based framework for energy-policy decision-making mechanisms related to the integration of the Energy Performance Building Directives at the level of conceptual and nationwide implementation schemes. In general, properties in this particular sector account for approximately 38% of the total housing stock and demonstrate some of the worst housing standards in Europe. The objective of this study is to focus on the interaction of such attitudes and the underlying determinant factors thereof with socio-cultural and contextual factors. A socio-technical-systems (STS) approach is used as a theoretical framework to integrate household socio-demographic characteristics related to energy use, the thermal-conductivity level of buildings and environmental factors; and to address the question of how different contexts influence motivation to develop energy-efficiency strategies. Drawing on the STS, this study investigates domestic energy use and measures thereof in post war social housing stock in the south-eastern Mediterranean, where the climate is subtropical (Csa) and partly-semi-arid (Bsh); these designations are according to the Köppen climate classification system; to improve the energy efficiency of archetype residential tower blocks (RTBs) that are embedded and interpreted in the socio-cultural local context of Cyprus. Feed-forward interviews of 100 flats revealed a moderate negative correlation (r = −0,329, p 〈0,01) between household income and tenancy status, and there was a moderate positive relationship (r = 0,252, p < 0,05) between household income and length of residency; this indicates that household income is a determinant factor related to energy use. Of the surveyed flats, 73% were owner-occupiers whose ages ranged between 55 and 65 and 65-years-of-age and older; these age bands were in the high-income group, and the energy consumption of these households was higher than the national average, all of which demonstrates an association between the age and level-of-income factors. A moderate negative correlation (r = −0,229, p < 0,05) was found between the occupants' ages and their complaints related to thermal discomfort, which suggests that built-environment factors and household socio-demographic characteristics should be evaluated before any type of building retrofitting is developed. The study findings were implemented to develop policy design that considers the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to energy-and-recovery plans; implications on domestic energy use in the south-eastern Mediterranean climate are expected to influence future trends in EU countries. The flow diagram demonstrates the novelty of the socio-technical-systems conceptual framework developed for this study. [Display omitted] • Socio-technical associations between energy use and occupants' thermal comfort were examined. • Social households in vivo experiences on energy use were explored. • A moderate correlation (r = -0,329, p < 0,01) was found between income and type of tenancy. • A moderate correlation (r = 0,252, p < 0,05) was found between income and length of residency. • A moderate correlation (r = -0,229, p < 0,05) was found between the occupants' age and thermal discomfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pedagogies for children's aspiration of Possibility Thinking (PT) have been investigated for over a decade in early year and primary settings. This study focuses on qualitative findings related to the involvement of teachers in inspiring PT amongst 9–10-year-old children using museums as part of their learning, in Cyprus. Eight educators participated in the study, and findings were compared to existing literature, providing a detailed exploration of how they engaged with their students for inspiring their PT. The analysis revealed that educators had three distinct stages of involvement in facilitating PT: creating the narrative (taking an active role), participating in the narrative (actively engaging), and supporting the narrative (taking a more passive role at times). These findings serve as a starting point for future research on pedagogies that foster PT using alternative learning resources like museums. This paper presents the key findings of the study and concludes with suggestions for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing integration of variable renewable technologies at distribution feeders, mainly solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, presents new challenges to grid operators for accurately forecasting demand. This renders the transitioning from load to net load forecasting (NLF) imperative. A new methodology was proposed in this paper for direct short-term NLF at the distribution level, using a Bayesian neural network model. The proposed model was optimized with decision heuristics based on a statistical post-processing stage (i.e., clustering of daily irradiance patterns) for improved performance. Model validation was performed using historical numerical weather predictions and net load data from three distribution feeders (with PV shares ranging from 2.5% to 34.2%) in Cyprus. The optimally constructed model achieved high forecasting accuracies, exhibiting normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) <5% when applied to the distribution feeders. Statistical post-processing further improved the model's forecasting accuracy, achieving nRMSE values <1.3%. Finally, the results demonstrated the suitability of the NLF methodology for distribution feeders with diverse PV penetration shares, rendering the proposed method applicable to distribution system operators for decision making and efficient planning. • Presenting a direct short-term net load forecasting method for distribution systems. • Applying Bayesian neural networks and statistics to improve performance accuracy. • Verifying the method on existing distribution feeders with different solar shares. • Demonstrating high forecasting accuracies and outperforming naïve methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past couple of decades, the number of wildfires and area of land burned around the world has been steadily increasing, partly due to climatic changes and global warming. Therefore, there is a high probability that more people will be exposed to and endangered by forest fires. Hence there is an urgent need to design pervasive systems that effectively assist people and guide them to safety during wildfires. This paper examines the potential of mobile applications to be employed to assist people to escape wildfires in real-time, by means of using and evaluating EscapeWildFire, a system for suggesting evacuation paths to mobile phone users in real-time. Two different evaluation strategies are followed: (a) Considering different areas of the island of Cyprus as case studies with simulated wildfires and actual users and (b) Considering a historic wildfire that occurred in Amarillo, Texas in 2011. Results in both cases show that mobile apps can effectively be employed to assist people to escape wildfires, but their use is heavily dependent on a backend system that supports the precise modelling of the wildfire. The time between the wildfire outbreak and the notification reaching the user is crucial for their safety. Various recommendations for improvements have been recorded based on either the feedback of participants in the case studies or the observations from the Texas wildfire. The code of the mobile app, backend and administration interface used are all open-source; fire authorities around the world are encouraged to further investigate this opportunity and adopt this approach. • A method for assisting citizens to escape wildfires in real-time via mobile apps. • System implementation is realistic solution to the problem under study based on various requirements and design aspects. • Evaluation of method and system in various diverse scenarios. • Implemented system operates correctly, it is accepted by the users and easy to use. • Numerous recommendations recorded, an indication of the problem's complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that 200 million girls/women are living with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM is a violation of human rights. It has detrimental effects on girls/women's physical and psychological health. Nurses and midwives have an essential role in the management and prevention of FGM. The aim of this paper is to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of nurses and midwives in Cyprus and Kenya regarding FGM. A quantitative methodology was applied with the use of an online survey. The sample consisted of 231 Kenyan and Cyprus nurses and midwives. Most of the participants reported being aware of the issue of FGM. It seems that no protocols exist in managing FGM complications. Although participants have some knowledge regarding FGM, results revealed the need for further training. They underlined the need for adoption or development of protocols at workplace. Some participants seemed to be skeptical regarding the medicalization of FGM. • FGM is a violation of human rights • FGM affects girls/women's physical and psychological health • Midwives expressed the need for training on FGM [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of food waste is a significant challenge of the environmental community, which advocates both in the context of good circular economy practices, and more broadly, in the context of efficient management of resources policies. The European Commission has already adopted a regulation on the principles and methodologies to be followed in cases of food waste quantification, a regulation that all its Member States are obliged to implement. The purpose of this study is to indicate specific aspects of the application of this Directive in an isolated island Member State of the European Union, the Republic of Cyprus, as well as to present and discuss the specific findings of this analysis. The main research question that this paper attempts to answer concerns the peculiarities that arise in the case of food waste generated in isolated island states, considering additional special conditions. The working methodology is based on integrated mass balances, covering all stages of food waste generation, from the primary sector and processing to the retail sector, food services (i.e. restaurants), and households, using the mass balance method, which is considered to be a good practice in accordance to the relevant EU regulation. This work seeks to provide food for thought for the review of future policies in the sector, especially in terms of islands, isolated states, or even countries with large tourist flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the configuration of solar thermal collector driven organic Rankine cycle (ORC) utilized to power air-conditioning system of the two-story office building in Paralimni, Cyprus, through a Variable-Refrigerant-Flow (VRF) system. The reason to choose this Mediterranean climate of Paralimni, Cyprus, is due to its higher dependency on fossil fuels compared to many other countries in the EU and with a high potential of harnessing solar irradiations and demand for air-conditioning (AC) loads. This location is categorized as warm temperate zones, subtropical climates and is placed in the subcategory of Mediterranean climates with humid winters and dry summers according to climatic zone, highly demanding for air conditioning. Based on the climatic data of the study area, this system can make an effective performance. Modeling the building and estimating the AC system power consumption is carried out in the DesignBuilder. Designing the organic Rankine cycle is done with EES. A solar hot water system is designed with TRNSYS to supply the required mass flow rate of water at the desired temperature of 95 °C. In this climate, the annual surface irradiation rate is 1,793 kWh/m2 whilst the AC energy requirement of a two-story building is 7,909 kWh. The employed ORC with an internal heat exchanger is designed with a constant output rate of 3.920 kW, which delivers a total of 8,154 kWh yearly. The required heat input of the ORC is supplied by a solar hot water system, employing evacuated tube collectors. The solar system consumes a 454 kWh auxiliary heating rate per year to deliver the desired mass flow rate and outlet temperature for the ORC. As a result, the designed solar-driven ORC delivers a net of (8,154 – 454) kWh = 7,700 kWh energy each year, meaning 7,700 kWh energy saving per year, equal to 97% of VRF annual energy demand. This amount of yearly energy saving yields 2,010 USD yearly capital saving as the reward of investment in this system, and defining a 20-year project, the implementation of this solar-driven power generation system at the end of the project's lifetime would save 25,049 USD. [Display omitted] • A new configuration of solar-driven ORC to power AC system of building Cyprus is proposed. • It achieves 7700 kWh energy savings per year, equivalent to 97% of VRF annual energy demand. • Energy yields 2010 USD of yearly capital saving as the reward of investment in this system. • The deployment of this system at the conclusion of the project's 20-year lifespan could save 40,200 USD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an alternative method for nowcasting significant wave height (H s) through the development of hierarchical machine learning classification models. In testing the hypothesis that hierarchical classification can improve H s prediction, flat and hierarchical classifiers were developed and tested on field-data recorded on a coastal jetty located in the southern coasts of Cyprus. A comprehensive investigation of the performance of flat over hierarchical classification models yields that the proposed method provides greater flexibility throughout the model development stages. This flexibility is attributed to the manipulation of data before training, optimization of classifier's hyperparameters during training, and the curtailment of features post-training at each level of the hierarchy. It is demonstrated that, the hierarchical approach resulted in better classification performance across a plethora of performance metrics established for a comprehensive comparison. It is also shown that the increased performance of the proposed approach comes at the expense of complexity arising from performing computationally expensive operations and the requirement for development of multiple local classifiers. Still, the increased classification performance of the hierarchical approach highlights the potential of this original method and the requirement for a rigid framework to be constructed for the development of hierarchical models for H s prediction. • Hierarchical classification can be successfully applied to the significant wave height prediction problem. • Unsupervised learning techniques can be deployed to identify the natural hierarchical structure of significant wave heights. • Training multiple binary and multiclass classifiers along the hierarchy provides flexibility pre, during and post-training. • Increased flexibility in the hierarchical approach yields better classification models across various performance metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide Oil & Gas exploitation industry has a vital and dynamic role to play in the global energy matrix. In any Oil & Gas exploitation mission, drilling operations have the potential to generate substantial quantity of wastes. Drilling fluids and cuttings are considered as hazardous waste, very complex and difficult to be managed due to several impurities (i.,e heavy metals, etc). At the same time, circular economy is gaining cumulative attention in Europe and around the world as a potential way for our humanity to growth prosperity, while reducing dependence on primary materials and energy. The paper through end-of-waste criteria concept and quality protocol development, declassified oil-based drilling cuttings (from Cyprus Oil & Gas Exploitation program) after their treatment through Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process, in order to be used as alternative aggregated and/or construction material and/or cement production (or other civil engineering works), promoting at the same time a valuable and sustainable solution based on circular economy concept. The results showed that, the final solid waste from Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process can be used as raw material for civil engineering works replacing natural resource, if solid waste from the Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process can met the defined quality protocol limits. The results are considered vital for offshores, policy makers, consultant engineers, as well as competent authorities, which try to find an acceptable and at the same time sustainable solution, to monitor and assess drilling waste which should be managed in a safe way, that may not have any undesirable effect on the environment. [Display omitted] • Drilling waste management through end-of-waste criteria (EWC) development. • Drilling waste to be used as aggregates and construction materials. • Quality protocols to define EWC for drilling waste. • Drilling cutting sustainable management approach. • Oil-based drilling cuttings treatment after Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate policy is changing fast in the EU, with country leaders raising the bloc's ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 2050. However, there is uncertainty about the allocation of decarbonisation effort between EU member states. This paper develops a multi-objective optimisation framework to provide insights to decision-makers in this policy context by exploring trade-offs between stronger decarbonisation goals and higher costs. Applying this approach for Cyprus, we find that the maximum achievable abatement for the EU Effort Sharing sectors corresponds to a 35% target. The current 24% ambition can be achieved with net social benefits, but the transition to higher abatement results in positive costs with a gradual rate of increase. The picture changes when decision-making explicitly accounts for external costs of emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in the optimisation procedure. In this case, the least-cost solution delivers an abatement of about 32% and can yield social benefits of more than one billion Euros'2020. Regarding public expenditures, it requires about 3% of national GDP each year. This indicates that the socially optimal policy mix for attaining decarbonisation of the Cypriot economy is feasible but requires a consistent allocation of public funds to build infrastructure, overcome investment barriers and mobilise capital to enable the uptake of clean technologies across the economy. Although the modelling framework has been developed for a specific country and is tailored to the specific EU policy circumstances, the proposed methodology is entirely suitable for other world regions with a demanding decarbonisation roadmap. • Optimisation framework to explore climate policy options under uncertain targets. • Abatement costs increase faster when the emissions target becomes more ambitious. • Decarbonisation yields economic benefits if air pollution costs are factored in. • Path to carbon neutrality is feasible but requires targeted allocation of funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amongst other factors, topographic features can influence the genetic variability among populations of marine organisms. This applies to host species but also to their parasites, which are poorly studied regarding this aspect, as well as with regard to their use as bioindicators. In the present work, the ribosomal DNA (28S rDNA) was used to assess genetic diversity of Grillotia (Cestoda, Trypanorhyncha) larvae in one of its paratenic hosts, namely Etmopterus spinax , across five different regions (off Scotland, Celtic, Alboran and Balearic Seas and off Cyprus) belonging to three major geographic areas (Northeast Atlantic, western and eastern Mediterranean). The obtained sequences revealed a total of 18 polymorphic sites and 17 haplotypes, as well as significant values of variance throughout the five different regions. Reconstructed phylogenetic trees highlighted that all Grillotia sp. sequences formed a monophyletic group, but divergent lineages split into different main clades which were in relation to the area of origin, with a consistent cluster of sequences from the Atlantic Ocean, as well as another from the Eastern Mediterranean. In contrast, low genetic differentiation was observed between samples from Balearic and Alboran Seas, and with respect to Grillotia sp. larvae from the Gulf of Naples analysed in a previous study. Geographical differences in parasite infection descriptors (prevalence, abundance, and intensity) were assessed, revealing significant differences among the sampled regions. The present study indicates that geographical distance and submarine barriers affect not only the connectivity of hosts but also their parasite infrapopulations by limiting interpopulation dispersal. It underlines the usefulness of parasites as biological tags for the study of susceptible and data-poor host species such as deep-water sharks and its potential implications for host population management and protection measures. [Display omitted] • Cestode larvae of Grillotia adenoplusia ex its paratenic host Etmopterus spinax. • RDNA (28S) revealed genetic diversity between NE Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. • Consistent sequence cluster for the NE Atlantic and Eastern Mediterranean. • Low genetic differentiation within Western Mediterranean. • Limited interpopulation dispersal apply not only to hosts, but also to parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]