Astypalea at COP26: The mayor presented the project “Astypalea: Smart & Sustainable Island” |

The Mayor of Astypalea, Nikos Komineas, participated in the UN World Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow, where he presented the vision of the municipality for the green and sustainable development of Astypalea, as well as the way in which the ambitious project “Astypalea” : Smart & Sustainable Island “, implemented in collaboration with the Volkswagen Group and the Greek Government, will contribute significantly to its realization.

According to a statement, the mayor, accompanied by Costas Komninos, Director General of the Sustainable Islands Network (DAFNI), participated as a guest speaker at two events organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Nordregio, in the context of the publication of the “Rural Agenda for Climate Action” report of the OECD Rural Policy Working Group.

In the first event entitled “Rural Policies & Climate Change: Why is Rural Area Critical for Green Transition?” Mr. Komineas presented the vision for the balanced development of island areas, such as Astypalea, effectively connecting the tourism with the local agricultural economy. In this direction, he highlighted the planning of the Municipality for the implementation of modernization projects of energy infrastructure, waste, water and transport, based on the principles of sustainability and circular economy.

In the second event entitled “Rural Areas: Meeting the Challenge of Zero Emissions” Astypalea was presented as a “good practice” in a thematic unit that concerned the highlighting of the benefit to the local community and economy from the implementation of RES energy projects. Mr. Komineas focused on the strategy of the Municipality for the implementation of a RES hybrid station project, as promoted within the project “Astypalea: Smart & Sustainable Island”, in order to meet local energy needs in contrast to other proposed large-scale RES projects . In addition, he presented the innovative proposal of the Municipality for the establishment of an Energy Community as a management body for both the RES project and other infrastructure of the island. Finally, the Mayor highlighted the challenges facing the Greek islands in terms of infrastructure management, but also opportunities for the development of innovation projects, which can be reproduced both in the countryside and in urban areas.

During his visit to Scotland, Mr. Komineas met with representatives of global and European organizations as well as representatives of European islands, such as Soren Hermansen from Samso, the model island of Denmark with 100% energy autonomy, with the aim of exchange of views and experiences but also the formation of possible collaborations. She concluded her meetings by having dinner with MEP Maria Spyraki, in view of her important presentation, as a representative of the European Parliament at COP26, on the methane reduction strategy, which reaffirmed her support for the Municipality’s efforts to clean up the Astypalea.