Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to the threat posed by sea level rise during his speech to the Plenary of the UN Summit on Sea Level Rise.

In his intervention, Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that the rise in sea level, due to global warming, is a serious threat to coastal areas and communities. With 37% of the world’s population living near coasts and 50% of global tourism taking place there, immediate action is necessary to prevent further damage.

“We need to create an adequate infrastructure base to adapt to the challenge, a resilience plan, a flexible mix of natural and green solutions and protect and restore coastal natural capital. At the national and local level, it is imperative to involve all stakeholders and members of coastal communities in adopting a holistic approach to effective policy design and implementation on the ground,” he said.

The prime minister called for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, citing Greece and the EU as pioneers in the implementation of the Green Deal, and highlighted three priorities: the creation of resilient infrastructure, public-private cooperation, and international cooperation to finance solutions .

“Many states will see their lands flooded, endangering lives and livelihoods, while displacement will become inevitable unless we take immediate and bold action. The shores of the Mediterranean, home to some of the most historic sites and iconic monuments of human heritage, are already facing a growing challenge,” he said.

In closing, K. Mitsotakis referred to the organization of the “Our Ocean Conference” by Greece, which brought together 3,000 participants and commitments amounting to 11 billion dollars, confirming Greece’s commitment to combating sea level rise.

“We remain fully committed to making sea level rise a priority to be addressed at European level and not just an issue that concerns small island states,” he noted.