Greece Commits €780 Million to Biodiversity and Pollution Reduction

Ahead of the "Our Ocean" international conference in Athens, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has unveiled a sweeping €780 million initiative to safeguard marine biodiversity and combat coastal pollution. Greece, with its extensive coastline and countless islands, stands as a Mediterranean leader in this effort.

As part of the program, Greece will establish two expansive marine parks – one spanning the Ionian Sea and the other in the Aegean Sea. These parks, covering 32% of the country's waters, are expected to be fully delineated by 2025. Moreover, Greece is committed to expanding its total marine protected areas to reach 30% of its territorial waters by 2030.

These initiatives target the escalating threats of ocean warming, overfishing, and plastic pollution. Greece aims to significantly reduce plastic litter and microplastics in its waters by 2030. Additional measures include establishing charging infrastructure for electric vessels and implementing a monitoring system to enforce fishing regulations in protected zones.

Greece will present its comprehensive marine conservation strategy at the "Our Ocean" conference, expecting significant commitments from the roughly 120 attending countries.  Government officials anticipate over $10 billion in new pledges toward global ocean protection.

While the marine park plan has garnered praise, it has also stirred tensions with neighbouring Turkey over disputed maritime territories. Greece has countered these concerns by emphasising its focus on environmental issues.