Prof. Niyazi Kizilyürek
I am professor Nazil Kizilyurek I used to work in the university where I stayed for many years and now I am an MEP in the European Parliament (EP) elected in the last elections in 2019. I am the first Turkish Cypriot to be elected at the Parliament. I also live in Nicosia when I am not working at the EP in Brussels or Strasbourg.
What SDGs do you feel most strongly connected to and why?
I think when we work in the Parliament I can hardly differentiate because first of all that is a nice package. They are a package but they are all also interdependent, one goal to another, so it might be hard to differentiate which one is the most important. Even then, also in the European institutions we are discussing a lot about sustainability and development especially if we consider the climate crisis, environmental issues and also if you consider that the EU has a Green Deal which is actually aimed towards the European economy, clean energy etc. I would say it seems to me a kind of package that deals from climate, to the environment, but also social justice I would say. So what has to be done is to appreciate all this goals, promote them all.
Yes! Then in which way do you think the SDGs will play an important role in the future?
Well the SDGs are officially for all mankind, they are all addressing the future and of course we all want a sustainable development, especially if we want climate sensitivity and environmental consciousness then we want more environmental citizenship when it comes to climate action. Hence this is the future that we are aiming for and we want to work on that and promote this vision.
And how did you find out about the SDGs?
Well, we have it everywhere! I mean, as I mentioned before, of course at the EP we are discussing about sustainable development, but I would say media was also a source of knowledge.
In your opinion what could draw the attention of people and raise awareness on the SDGs, is there anything in particular you have in mind?
Well actually I must say that there is a lot of things going on in education and there is actually a great difference between generations. To my mind the new European generations are much more sensitive to these issues than the generations before, and that is in a way very promising. We have a lot of Youth movements for sustainable development and climate, something that gives us hope.
And is there any specific action that could be used to tackle the SDGs and can they really be achieved in your opinion?
First of all I think they must be part of education in all of the EU, with the aim of increasing sensitivity on the importance of the SDGs. Secondly we have to invest in environmental citizenship, citizens with an awareness on the importance of sustainable development. Of course we also need a lot of civil society activities, especially among youth to promote these ideas because it is not given that everyone accepts these goals. So we have to raise awareness everywhere we can, starting from the educations system but also in media. Citizenship as an environmental citizenship concept, by which I mean that citizens should be aware of the importance of promoting the goals, should be the outcome.
Yes! So although you said that they are all interconnected, do you think that there is one specific SDG that can be used as a starting point, more than others that is.
It’s difficult… what can I say? Clean water and sanitation, quality education, gender equality, health and wellbeing, clean energy and no poverty… It's hard to pick, I really see them as a package that is very well thought. We have to tackle all these aspects, all these goals because they are equally important. Maybe I could talk about reduction of inequalities that is something which comes to my mind, social justice is one of the most important issues. After all inequalities in the world are huge. And of course you have so many inequalities, you have poverty, you have hunger, equal access to education… so in that sense maybe I would choose the reduction of inequality as one of the most important ones.
And is there any SDG that you work with in particular at the EP?
First of all, as I said, our basic goal in the EU in all institutions including the Parliament is the Green Deal of course. We want to have by 2050 to put a stop to the climate crisis, we want to move to clean energy and renewable sources. I think it is a very good opportunity for Cyprus because we have invested a lot of money in transition to clean energy. I am also working on these issues. We are trying to promote this for Cyprus.
Ok. As you have rightly pointed out earlier there is a need for civil society also to act, and on that point would you agree in saying that there is also a need for more action and attention from the people in Cyprus?
Definitely. If you just look around at what we are discussing in Cyprus on a day to day, you are gonna hear a lot of discussions on natural gas, which became a major geopolitical conflict, although at the same time we talk about the green economy. So definitely Cyprus needs much more awareness about the importance of the SDGs. The second thing is these kinds of issues such as climate, the environment are very much interconnected with the fact that there is no North or South part of the island: here it is imposed that Greek and Turkish Cypriots come together and work together on this. After all there is no ethnic solution to these kind issues.
Then would you have any suggestions or recommendations for the people that are going to read this interview?
Well I would just say what we are underlining. We are already as mankind kind of late to raise awareness about sustainable development. We are already late, and that is why we have to work very hard everywhere as humans: just for the existence as mankind.
Is there any issues that you believe is not getting enough attention?
Well I think overall climate and environmental issues in Cyprus are new subjects to be honest. I am not sure if the political elites are really aware of the importance of them so we need a strong campaign from civil society but also from experts, it is through their activities and their scientific studies that come to do just that. So we have to do much more especially on that.
As the final question, how and what can be improved in Cyprus but also if you have any suggestions for out project going ahead?
Well I just use two key words that came to my mind: to bring science and action together. This is one thing, this is an important concept. Then promote this among political elites and the decision makers. To this of course you need civil society activities. So science and activities together with raising awareness within societies while also reaching to political elites and decision makers. Either by becoming a pressure group as a civil society or by convincing by organising a campaign on this subject.