The European Union shall be making greater than 40 new commitments for the safety of our seas within the framework of the Our Ocean Convention, going down in Athens by Wednesday. These commitments add as much as some 3.5 billion euros, the bloc’s highest contribution for the reason that convention started a decade in the past.
Chatting with Kathimerini forward of his arrival for the convention, which started on Monday, European Commissioner for the Atmosphere, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius notes the big progress that has been achieved due to EU insurance policies, whereas additionally underscoring the continued deficit in scientific analysis.
He goes on to notice that Greece ought to “rigorously assess” whether or not hydrocarbon extraction is “appropriate” with EU and nationwide decarbonization targets.
During the last couple of many years, EU insurance policies have targeted lots on the marine atmosphere. In your opinion, what are the best achievements and what are the areas the place a special method is required?
The EU has one of the crucial bold frameworks for shielding the marine atmosphere. Our member-states have developed complete and regionally coordinated marine methods, as required by EU legislation, to guard our seas and guarantee their sustainable use. This requires us to rigorously steadiness out our actions at sea and on land in order that they don’t hurt marine life and habitats by using the ecosystem-based method – we name this good environmental standing. Due to this, right now we all know way more about our seas and oceans than we did earlier than. We have now set limits to respect the seas’ boundaries. For instance, now we have agreed on the extent of underwater noise sure marine areas might be subjected to, now we have limits for the quantity of marine litter on our seashores; now we have limits on how a lot of the seabed might be misplaced or broken. We even have limits on how a lot fish might be caught, or the degrees of contaminants which are permitted in our marine waters.
The European Inexperienced Deal, notably the Biodiversity Technique for 2030 and the zero air pollution motion plan, upped the momentum, setting bold targets to determine by 2030 marine protected areas for at the least 30% of our seas. It additionally led to a authorized proposal to revive nature, together with within the marine atmosphere. We have now proposed an motion plan to guard and restore marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries. We have now set targets to scale back by 2030 waste and plastic garbage at sea by 50% and microplastics launched within the atmosphere by 30%. Over the last twenty years, the European Union has invested considerably in marine information and developed profitable and open entry information infrastructures and ocean companies. The makes use of are limitless. Whatever the nice developments these achievements convey, we are able to nonetheless enhance lots the best way we’re amassing and assessing marine information – which is critical if we wish to adapt to local weather change, have a thriving blue financial system, together with sustainable fisheries, and improve coastal resilience throughout Europe. There are essential information and data gaps we have to cowl: on our information of organic species, on the affect of human actions to the marine atmosphere, on the deep sea and extra. We have to proceed investing in analysis to fill these gaps.
Internationally, the EU and its member-states have performed a key function in securing an settlement for a Excessive Seas Treaty. This treaty will permit the institution of marine protected areas within the excessive seas at a world degree, safeguarding the ocean from human pressures in a serious contribution to decreasing local weather change, to defending biodiversity and reaching the target to guard at the least 30% of the planet by 2030.
‘Greek authorities ought to rigorously assess whether or not actions resembling oil and gasoline exploration are in step with agreed EU and nationwide decarbonization goals’
The Greek authorities introduced a couple of days in the past the primary of 20 “Greek” commitments, which shall be introduced on the Our Ocean Convention. What are the principle EU commitments that shall be introduced?
The EU is definitely additionally asserting a minimum of 40 commitments: from sustainable fisheries to marine safety, local weather, the blue financial system, marine air pollution, maritime safety and analysis. It’s a actual affirmation of the EU’s sturdy engagement in worldwide ocean governance. And these usually are not simply verbal commitments: We’re backing them up with €3.5 billion. This represents the biggest quantity ever introduced by the EU for the reason that begin of the Our Ocean conferences in 2014.
The temperature of the Mediterranean Sea broke a brand new file final yr. Some scientists estimate that the file shall be damaged once more this summer time. How can Mediterranean international locations cope with the implications on the marine atmosphere? Can there be efficient insurance policies, when worldwide waters are by legislation excluded?
As contracting events to the Barcelona Conference and its protocols, the international locations across the Mediterranean Sea basin collaborate and decide to the efficient safety of the Mediterranean Sea and the coastal area. As local weather change is likely one of the major pressures within the area, the work beneath the Barcelona Conference consists of many actions to mitigate and adapt to local weather change. For instance, within the context of the Regional Local weather Change Adaptation Framework, in addition to within the bigger context of the conference’s Mid-term Technique to strengthen the resilience of Mediterranean marine ecosystems. Extra lately, the conference’s COP23 (December 2023) noticed a renewed dedication to local weather motion by the BC with the institution of a Regional Exercise Heart on Local weather Change hosted by Turkey. This middle will present a focus to help and strengthen the local weather change associated actions/applications beneath the BC. As well as, the contracting events at COP23 endorsed a particular report on Local weather and Environmental Coastal Dangers undertaken by the Mediterranean Consultants on Local weather and Environmental Change (MedECC).
One of many Greek commitments considerations the creation of two nationwide marine parks, one within the Aegean and one within the Ionian Sea. On the identical time, Greece is continuing with hydrocarbon extraction drilling within the Ionian Sea and southwest of Crete. Are these two appropriate? Is the EU involved?
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are essential for conserving marine biodiversity, safeguarding habitats, managing fisheries, conducting analysis, constructing local weather resilience, selling sustainable practices and offering financial advantages to native communities. By defending marine ecosystems, MPAs help the long-term well being and well-being of each the ocean and our society. I due to this fact welcome the commitments of the Greek authorities to create two nationwide marine parks. I hope they are going to be a part of Greece’s contribution to the EU-wide Natura 2000 community and to reaching the EU and international targets to guard 30% of EU seas, one third of that are beneath strict safety.
Relating to hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, actions resembling seismic surveys may cause disturbance of many marine species, particularly by loud impulsive noise. Below the Environmental Impression Evaluation (EIA) Directive, with a view to making sure a excessive degree of safety of the marine atmosphere, particularly species and habitats, environmental affect evaluation and screening procedures for initiatives within the marine atmosphere ought to have in mind the know-how used, resembling seismic surveys. Furthermore, all species of cetaceans and 4 species of sea turtles are strictly protected beneath the Habitats Directive. Greek authorities are anticipated to determine a system of strict safety for these species of their whole pure vary, prohibiting all types of deliberate seize or killing of their specimens and their deliberate disturbance, in addition to deterioration or destruction of breeding websites or resting locations. Any important disturbance of species protected in Natura 2000 websites also needs to be averted. To be able to help member-states within the implementation of those provisions, together with the affect of hydrocarbon exploration, the Fee has adopted an up to date steering doc on strict safety of animal species beneath the directive and a steering doc on the administration of Natura 2000 websites. Moreover, the affect of seismic surveys on the marine atmosphere additionally must be thought of by nationwide authorities of their marine methods beneath the Marine Technique Framework Directive (MSFD), particularly for disturbance of the seafloor, inputs of hazardous substances, marine litter, and vitality sources resembling mild and underwater noise.
Lastly, I want to stress that in relation to EU local weather objectives, Greek authorities ought to rigorously assess whether or not actions resembling oil and gasoline exploration are in step with agreed EU and nationwide decarbonization goals. The Fee’s vitality insurance policies concentrate on prioritizing vitality effectivity, renewable vitality and the decarbonization of gasoline, recognizing that vitality provide must be safe and inexpensive for shoppers and companies.
There was a public debate in Greece over the previous two years about overtourism and overbuilding and their penalties, particularly on the islands. What’s your opinion on the difficulty? Who do you assume it needs to be addressed to?
The Fee is in favor of growth and tourism, because it creates jobs and boosts the native financial system. Nevertheless, the target needs to be to advertise these actions concurrently respecting the ideas of environmental safety and sustainable growth. Whereas there isn’t any particular EU laws on respecting the atmosphere within the tourism sector, all related EU laws and insurance policies needs to be revered. For instance, the Strategic Environmental Evaluation Directive (1) applies in circumstances of plans or applications that may result in the creation of sure initiatives, whereas the Environmental Impression Evaluation Directive (2) is related when particular initiatives are to be constructed. Moreover, when initiatives are deliberate inside (or doubtlessly affecting) areas which are included within the Natura 2000 community of protected areas, the necessities of the Habitats Directive (3) should be revered. Lastly, the Barcelona Conference for the Safety of the Mediterranean Sea Towards Air pollution along with its protocols can be related as regards actions in marine and coastal areas.
