EU plans fresh initiatives for the protection of seas

More than 40 new commitments will be made this week by the European Union in Athens at the international Our Oceans Conference corresponding to €3.5 billion, according to Virginijus Sinkevicius, the European commissioner for the environment, oceans and fisheries, in an interview with Kathimerini.

It will be the highest amount the EU has committed in the 10 years that the conference has been held. Sinkevicius noted the enormous progress thanks to EU policies, but also the deficit that still exists in scientific research. He also stressed that Greece needs to look very carefully at whether hydrocarbon extraction is consistent with EU and national decarbonization targets.

“By 2030 we aim to create marine protected areas for 30% of our seas,” he said. Sinkevicius added that targets have been set to reduce waste in the seas “by 50% and microplastics by 30% by 2030.”