Sustainability Crucial to the Growth of Greece’s Blue Economy

Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Greece is moving ahead with the renewal of its coastal shipping fleet with new ‘greener’ ships, the sustainable development of its ports, and the protection of marine ecosystems, said Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Christos Stylianidis during the “2nd UfM Stakeholder Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy” held in Athens this week.

Addressing the conference, Stylianidis said Greece was tapping into innovative technologies to support these actions, adding that activities related to the sea and the economy account for 25 percent of the country’s GDP.

The minister admitted that the Mediterranean is already facing many major challenges related to environmental protection or the adoption of pro-environmental practices, and described the region as a “hotspot” of the climate crisis.

At the same time, however, the country is also an ideal field for dynamic growth and good practices which can contribute to the promotion of the “Blue Economy” with a focus on maritime governance, sustainable fishing, sustainable and climate neutral ports and maritime transport, maritime and coastal tourism, but also marine renewable energy sources, he said.

Greek Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Christos Stylianidis.

Referring to Greece, Deputy Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Ioannis Pappas said that the sustainable approach can be the dominant model for the Greek islands. He went on to add that strategies that will enhance the sustainable development and resilience of the Greek islands are necessary to address the challenges facing island communities such as seamless maritime transport and the management of marine resources.

Over 350 people gathered for the 2^nd UfM Stakeholder Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy in Athens during February 19-20. Public and private officials, as well as key civil society actors,  discussed the progress made to date and next steps for the implementation of the 10 priority cooperation areas endorsed by the 43 UfM Member States in the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy. The conference serveed as a forum for the exchange of knowledge and best practices while also charting the course for further political deliberations.

The event was hosted by the Union for the Mediterranean, its EU and Jordanian Co-Presidency, and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy of Greece.