Greece, is firmly committed to the protection, conservation and restoration of its marine ecosystems, aiming to the further expand our marine protected areas network. To that end, Greece / Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy has already completed an evaluation of 183 areas as prospective additions to the national part of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. 95 of these areas have already been selected for inclusion, either as expansions of existing protected areas or as outright new additions to the network, the vast majority of them being marine or coastal areas. The selection process has included a period of public consultation and has aimed to preserve important habitats, such as the Posidonia oceanica underwater meadows, as well as important species of birds, mammals and cetaceans. With the inclusion of these areas, the coverage of marine protected areas in the territorial waters of Greece, from 6% at present, will approximately raise up around to a scale of 20%, overshooting target 14.5 by a safe margin.
Progress reports
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Integrated Coastal Management
- Marine Spatial Planning
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
Type of commitment
- MPA management and/or enforcement
December 2017
