Page 68 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΜΑΙΟΣ 2024

This month’s top news from naftikachronika.gr

ON THE

GREEK PRIME MINISTER posal, as the forecasts for a possible
MITSOTAKIS COMMITS TO 21 increase in the price of rights in the
INITIATIVES TO PROTECT next two years or the additional invest-
THE SEAS ments that will be mobilised have not
During this year's international confer- been taken into account. Therefore, it
ence “Our Ocean Conference", which is likely that more money will flow into
was hosted in Athens from 15 to 17 Greece.
April, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitso- According to the same sources, the
takis announced the establishment of implementation horizon of the pro-
a new special fund for the weaning of jects that will be selected is 2032,
the Greek islands from fossil fuels and while in the ranks of the government,
the development of renewable energy there is a feeling that the new financial
sources to cover their needs. instrument will strengthen the GR-eco
The Prime Minister said that the funds Islands Initiative so that it can expand
would come from the rights of the with steady steps beyond the success-
EU Emissions Trading Scheme and, ful pilot projects in Halki and Astyp-
depending on the fluctuations in the alaia. It is worth noting that Poros is
price of the auctioned allowances, it the third island that has joined the
is estimated that they could reach €2 Green Islands initiative.
billion.
According to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the The 21 Ocean commitments
funds will be allocated primarily to In the framework of this year’s 9th
projects “connecting Greek islands to “Our Ocean Conference", Greece, this
the mainland grid, energy storage, and year’s organiser, made 21 commit-
renewable energy sources, including ments amounting to €780 million to
offshore wind energy and the con- protect and sustainably use the oceans
struction of multi-purpose water res- and seas.
ervoirs”. The first commitment foresees the
Government sources said the agree- creation of two more large marine
ment to finance the new decarbonisa- national parks, one in the Aegean and
tion fund through the Emissions Trad- one in the Ionian, with an emphasis
ing Scheme was concluded recently on protecting marine mammals, wild
after government negotiations with birds, and sea turtles. As Kyriakos
the European Commission and the Mitsotakis said, in this way, “Greece
European Investment Bank. will increase the area of its marine
The same sources noted that the protected areas by 80%, covering
amount of €2 billion mentioned by Mr about 1/3 of Greece’s territorial marine
Mitsotakis is a moderate estimate of waters”.
the funds Greece will have at its dis- The Greek Prime Minister added,

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