Greece – signaling its willingness to actively contribute to the international challenges of the global climate crisis, to take initiatives and support the protection of the oceans – is hosting the 9th International Conference on Oceans “Our Oceans” (OOC-9), which will take place April 16-17, 2024 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

It is an international institution, launched in 2014 on the initiative of the former US Secretary of State John Kerry and held every year in a different country, with the aim of bringing to the fore issues related to the protection of the seas and “extracting” commitments from governments and market players.

This is an important international event and certainly the most important for environmental issues that Greece has hosted.

More than 120 states will be represented, prime ministers and presidents of countries from all over the world, ministers and deputy ministers of foreign affairs, ministers and deputy ministers of the environment, as well as ocean-related responsibilities, as well as representatives of important international and regional organizations.

“Greece, a country with an extensive coastline of more than 20 thousand kilometers and more than 29 thousand islands and islets and a long maritime tradition, recognizing the need to protect the marine environment, is taking the lead in taking initiatives in this direction,” the ministry says of Foreign Affairs in his announcement and notes that characteristic examples are the establishment of marine protected areas and the project of carbonization of the islands.

By hosting the OOC-9 conference, Greece confirms its shift towards a sustainable “blue” economy and at the same time seeks to highlight the international challenges for sustainable fishing, the protection of marine ecosystems, dealing with marine pollution, especially from plastics, as well as and the interconnectedness of climate and oceans.

The 9th OOC Conference will be the first after the adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, known as the Convention on the High Seas (‘BBNJ Treaty’ “), which covers more than two-thirds of the oceans.

An integral part of it is the “Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit”, which will be held on Monday, April 15, aiming to awaken the new generation to the sustainability of the oceans.

Greece’s commitments

Greece will accompany this international organization with twenty commitments in favor of the protection of Greek seas and the sustainability of economic activities. Commitments will be announced on the day of the conference, and some will be immediate, while some will extend to 2030.

– The first ones that have already been announced concern the immediate institutionalization of two large, national, marine parks in the Ionian and the Aegeanwhich will be among the largest in the Mediterranean.

For their surveillance, a state-of-the-art monitoring system will be used, with drones, radar, satellites and boats, in real time. Resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund will be allocated to the implementation of these initiatives. Furthermore, the role of the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization (OFYPECA) will be institutionally strengthened, while the cooperation of the authorities with the port authority will be immediate.

– Also, as announced, the Fishing with trawlers will be banned from 2026 in the country’s national parks. The measure will be gradually extended to the remaining marine protected areas by 2030.

Fishermen will receive compensatory benefits for their loss of income because, in addition to national parks, they will not be allowed to fish in a zone around offshore wind farms.

As for the 122 remaining vizo trawlers, no further extension will be given beyond the current withdrawal schedule.

Furthermore, compensatory measures are planned for the protection of national marine parks and Natura areas, from the 247 active wind trawlers.

Finally, utilizing the financial resources from the European Sea, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, at least 70 million euros are invested to strengthen relevant sustainable fishing actions, etc.

The areas of action

It is noted that each OOC conference focuses on six areas of action:

– Marine Protected Areasthe establishment of which ensures effective management with targeted protection measures that take into account the pressures on marine ecosystems from activities.

– Sustainable blue economy, as a key tool for the sustainable use of marine resources, contributing to the sustainable development of ocean-based activities.

– Tackling climate changewith a focus on strengthening the interaction between climate and oceans and taking actions in a holistic manner, bearing in mind the role of the ocean as a climate regulator and the need to limit the effects of climate change.

– Maritime Safetyhighlighting its aspects, such as tackling piracy, illegal trafficking of goods and people, illegal fishing and pollution.

– Sustainable fishingthrough promoting efficient fishing practices, enforcing bans and restrictions, and other holistic solutions to limit overfishing and protect fish stocks.

– Sea pollutiondue to the discharge of nutrients, chemicals and wastes, due to land or sea activities.

Emphasis from Greece in four horizontal sectors, which run through all six thematic areas:

– Sustainable tourism in coastal areas and islands to achieve the optimal balance between tourism development, protection of the marine environment and the well-being of local communities.

– Green shipping, which will encourage a wide range of environmentally friendly actions to control pollution, promote decarbonisation and shift to sustainable management practices, aimed at reducing the impact of shipping on the marine environment.

– Reducing marine pollution from plastics and microplastics. Greece will take initiatives in this direction, as this specific form of pollution is one of the most serious threats to marine ecosystems and human health, through the food chain.

– Green transition in the Mediterranean, a sea that connects three continents and acts as a crossroads of cultures and people, addressing the challenge of transitioning to a sustainable future in the Mediterranean and “unlocking” benefits for marine ecosystems.