“The oceans are the foundation of life on earth and the heartbeat of our planet,” he stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis at the event “Our Ocean Countdown, Greece 2024: An Ocean of Potential”, which took place at the “Wilson Center” think tank connected to the US Congress in Washington.

As part of the event, Mr Gerapetritis spoke with John Kerry and presented the priorities of the 9th Our Ocean Conference, which will take place on April 16 and 17 in Athens, as well as Greece’s initiatives for the tackling climate change. It is recalled that Greece has set climate, peace and security as the priorities of its candidacy for election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the two years 2025-2026.

The choice of the interlocutor was not random, as John Kerry is the initiator of the initiative “Our Ocean Conference”, which was fleshed out when he was head of the State Department, as well as President Joe Biden’s special envoy on climate change. “It has been 10 years since the first Ocean Summit was organized following your initial idea. An idea that inspired the international community as a whole and created a new results-oriented model that should form the basis of any action against climate change,” the Greek foreign minister said in praise of John Kerry.

Hosting the 9th Ocean Summit, Greece intends to continue the very successful course of the conference to date, ensuring tangible commitments at the global and regional level. It is worth noting that since its inception the conference has secured commitments worth more than 130 billion dollars. Greece looks forward to their expansion and to the promotion of new and more ambitious actions, clarified Mr. Gerapetritis. After all, the challenges are many: Sea levels are rising, coastal erosion is worsening, and the oceans are getting warmer and more acidic. In addition, marine pollution is increasing at an alarming rate, 30% of fish stocks are subject to overexploitation, marine biodiversity continues to decline, and alien species seriously threaten marine ecosystems.

That is why the Greek side has made concerted efforts in recent months to raise awareness and convey the main messages of the conference at the highest possible level, as well as to facilitate the participation of leaders from small island developing states, which are most affected by climate change. change. “We envision a future where the oceans thrive as resilient and vibrant ecosystems, ensuring well-being for generations to come,” noted Mr Gerapetritis.

In relation to the agenda of the conference, Greece will seek to emphasize four areas: sustainable tourism aiming at the balance between tourism development and preservation of the marine environment, green shipping through the limitation of emissions and the overall impact on the marine environment, the reduction of marine pollution from plastics and microplastics and, finally, the green transition in the Mediterranean . It is worth noting that the 9th Oceans Conference will be the first to be convened after the adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It will therefore be the most suitable occasion to discuss the means of realizing the objectives of this agreement.

Through the conference, Athens aspires to reaffirm its commitment to transition to a new development model, the “blue economy”, which takes advantage of the balance between economic growth, social cohesion and sustainability. It is a given that for our country the sea is of vital importance: “With an extensive coastline of more than 20,000 kilometers, including the many small islands and islets, but also because of its inseparable historical, cultural and economic link with the sea, Greece is committed to the protection of the marine environment”.

In the domestic field, “Greece has already started to implement the “green transformation” of its economy”, stated Mr. Gerapetritis. Initiatives such as “GR-eco Islands”, which aims to transform the Greek islands into hubs of innovation and models of energy autonomy, can be a source of sustainable economic development and job creation for local communities. In addition, the Greek government has already set the goal of reducing overfishing and promoting sustainable fisheries management. In relation to the fight against climate change, the National Climate Law envisages the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and 80% by 2040, with a final stage of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

“The ocean is an important part of our natural and cultural heritage, it offers enormous opportunities and untapped potential. That is why we must find real and sustainable solutions to the challenges it faces. After all, the oceans and seas connect us all,” said Mr Gerapetritis.

From his side, John Kerry sounded the alarm for them immediate risks facing the oceans and marine ecosystems. In particular, he focused on the problem of overfishing, which, he said, is currently threatening many species of known fish with extinction. In this light, he emphasized the importance of the Oceans Conference, as he pointed out that general political formulations and decisions are not enough to reverse this difficult situation. For example, he explained that it is not enough to simply declare a marine area protected, but the resources and mechanisms that will allow political decisions to be implemented are needed.

As for the International Oceans Conference to be hosted in Athens, John Kerry said he was excited to attend, saying “I personally look forward to being at the Youth Summit, because we need to enlist the new generation in this effort.”