Commission: Greece to ensure the unstructured 100 meters on the seafront – PatrisNews

Virginius Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, sent his response, on behalf of the European Commission, in writing to Petros Kokkalis, MEP of the Greens and Secretary of the KOSMOS Party, regarding the bill that abolishes the coastal protection zone on the seashore.

Based on the latest report of the “Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change” (IPCC), the Mediterranean ranks among the most vulnerable climate hotspots in the world, while it is 99% expected that extreme weather events will increase above the global average.

Despite this, the Greek government, with the bill submitted to hasty consultation, removes the minimum unbuilt boundary of 30 meters from the shorelineallowing its full “commercial” exploitation, at the same time that other Member States establish unstructured coastal zones starting from 100 meters up to 250 meters from the shore.

In this context Mr. Kokkalis asked the European Commission, if this regulation is consistent with article 8 of the Protocol for the integrated management of the Mediterranean coastal zones (2009/89/EC), which has been ratified by the EU and binds all member states, and according to which the coastal zone cannot be less than 100 meters wide? Should all European coasts be subject to the same adaptation standards?

And also if this arrangement is in line with the “EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030” and the “European Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change”, according to which coastal areas should be protected in terms of ecosystem restoration and the protection of human lives?

Compliance with European regulations is essential

Regarding the first question, Mr. Sinkevičius answered that the protocol of the Barcelona Convention for the integrated management of the coastal zones of the Mediterranean provides a legal framework for the integrated management of the zones. The protocol requires national legal frameworks to ensure the protection and sustainable use of the coastal zone, which must not be less than 100 meters. By ratifying the aforementioned protocol, countries undertake to transpose its legally binding provisions into their national law and to ensure compliance and enforcement of said provisions. Despite strong encouragement from the Commission, Greece has not yet ratified this protocol.

Regarding the second question, Mr. Sinkevičius emphasizes that the European climate legislation – (Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing a framework with the aim of achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European climate legislation’) (OJ L 243 of 9.7.2021, p. 1) – requires Member States to note progress in climate change adaptation and to promote, on the one hand, nature-based solutions, and on the other, ecosystem-based adaptation.

In its assessment of progress on climate change adaptation (SWD(2023) 932 final), the Commission stated that Greece should include coastal flooding in its relevant strategies and found that these strategies did not focus sufficiently to nature-based solutions. The Commission recommended that Greece assess flood-related vulnerabilities and risks, prepare a comprehensive assessment and take measures to “promote nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation in national strategies, policies and projects and the provision of investment for their development’ (SWD(2023) 929 final).

Source: news247.gr