Greece Supports #EUBeachCleanUp Campaign

Greece supports the European Commission’s #EUBeachCleanUp environmental campaign by holding a number of awareness activities across the country.

Aiming to eliminate marine pollution, the campaign is organized every September by the European Union, along with the United Nations and the bluest of friends, the Smurfs. In 2019, over 40,000 volunteers took part in nearly 80 countries.

For the 2020 edition, the EU is calling for more localized engagement, as group actions may pose risks to public health due to Covid-19. Under the headline “Our ocean starts with you”, the campaign urges EU citizens to participate from home by reducing water consumption, shopping for less packaging and sorting their rubbish.

To support the campaign, Greece’s Ministry of Environment and Energy will hold a beach cleanup event in Kavouri, south of Athens, during September.

“We support and participate in the European Commission’s #EUBeachCleanUp campaign. We also urge the citizens to actively participate by adopting the campaign’s practices in their everyday life,” Environment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis said.

Environment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis (middle)

It is noted that the ministry has tabled a draft bill for public consultation aiming to reduce the use of single-use plastics.

Apart from organizing cleanup activities, the ministry also runs an information campaign in collaboration with the A.K. Laskaridis Foundation.

Furthermore, the ministry is part of in the European Plastics Pact, an initiative that promotes the recycling of plastic packaging and supports the principles of the circular economy.

#EUBeachCleanUp #ypen #SupfreeGreece #EUGreenDeal