THE ASTRONOMICAL society of Cyprus has called for a change to the way summer time is implemented across the EU, arguing that a more balanced way of calculating the dates will lead to to an increase in productivity and energy saving.
The Society’s Director, Ioannis Fakas told the Mail that, at present, summer time is the convention of advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less.
“Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour on the last Sunday of March and are adjusted backward one hour on the last Sunday of October.”
Over a period of several years, Fakas has conducted research using complex mathematical equations, which he says prove that the dates should be altered.
“We cannot have a situation where summer time lasts for seven months of the year,” he stated. “Things must be balanced out and I propose that it is changed so that it will run from May to September inclusive.”
He explained that a major problem at present is that many workers and pupils are forced to wake up in the morning when it is still dark, which has a negative effect on their psychology and productivity.
“This is especially the case in March and October, as the sun does not rise until approximately 7am.”
According to Fakas, the other major problem is the weather. “During the aforementioned months, the temperature is still relatively cool, especially in the morning, meaning people switch on central heating, resulting in an unnecessary waste of energy and money.”
He said he had notified the government of his findings, “but my pleas have fallen on deaf ears, as they say they have more important things to worry about. I will not give up though and will continuously push them to take action.The problem is not only limited to Cyprus and is in fact more severe in many other EU countries.”
Back in May, Fakas met with the European Commission’s head of Representation in Cyprus, Themis Themistocleous, where he outlined his concerns.
Yesterday, Themistocleous explained that the matter is, “a scientific one”, and that he had sent Fakas’ proposal to the Commission for further study.
Commenting, a spokeswoman at the Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy and Transport explained: “The research of the gentleman in question may be valid, but most Member States are happy with the current arrangement as nobody has expressed a view for a date change.”
She added that it was necessary to harmonise the dates across Europe for the free movement of goods, services and people.
And a document sent to the Mail from the Directorate-General states: “In pursuance of Article 4 of the Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament on summer time arrangements, the timetable of the period for 2007 to 2011 inclusive has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.”
First used in 1916
MODERN summer time was first proposed a hundred years ago in 1907 by William Willett, and saw its first widespread use in 1916 as a wartime measure aimed at conserving coal. Despite controversy, many countries have used it since then; details vary by location and change occasionally.
Adding daylight to afternoons generally benefits retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit sunlight after working hours, but it can cause problems for agriculture and other occupations whose hours depend on the sun. Extra afternoon daylight appears to cut traffic fatalities but its effect on health and crime is less clear. Summer time is said to save electricity by reducing the need for artificial evening lighting.
However, clock shifts complicate timekeeping and can disrupt meetings, travel, billing, record- keeping, medical devices, and heavy equipment.
