WWF Greece urges new government to tackle critical environmental challenges

WWF Greece has brought attention to the critical environmental challenges that Greece’s new conservative government must confront. They addressed letters to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the new Environment Minister Theodoros Skylakakis, emphasizing the urgency of preserving natural ecosystems and climate stability over the next four years. 

Scientific data indicates a global decline in biodiversity, rapid degradation of essential protective ecosystem services, and accelerated climate change approaching the critical 1.5°C temperature increase limit, carrying unpredictable consequences.

WWF expressed concern that the current environmental policies in Greece have not adequately addressed the severity of the situation and, in some instances, have failed to uphold EU environmental law commitments. Greece ranks second in the total number of open infringement cases and first in continuous violations of EU Court decisions.

In their letter, WWF outlined key priorities for the government, including the urgent completion and approval of long-delayed Natura protection decrees, cessation of arbitrary actions against Greek nature and ecosystems, abandonment of “irrational” plans for oil and gas extraction on land and at sea, closure of illegal landfills, and reform of the national waste management system based on the principles of “reduce – reuse – recycle.”

Furthermore, the organization emphasized the need for transparent environmental governance and meaningful public participation in decision-making processes. They also expressed hope that the New Democracy party’s group of MEPs would support a crucial new regulation for nature restoration in the European Parliament, distinguishing themselves from the stance of the European People’s Party (EEP).