Fragmented protection leaves seas vulnerable

Greece is falling short of its goals to protect marine environments, with only 3.4% of its territorial waters under some form of protection, according to a report from nine environmental organizations, including WWF Hellas and Greenpeace.

Despite covering 18.3% of Greek waters, only 12 of 174 designated Natura 2000 marine sites have management plans in place, and many protective measures are temporary or fragmented.

The organizations cite staff shortages at the Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency and delays in completing vital environmental studies as key obstacles. These issues hamper systematic protection and enforcement in marine protected areas.

While funding has improved through the Recovery Fund and stable subsidies, environmental groups warn that the current system is insufficient to meet Greece’s commitment to protecting 30% of its waters.

The report calls for long-term, stable financing and better enforcement to safeguard Greece’s marine biodiversity effectively.