The LIFE MareNatura project partners and the project’s expert policy partner, The Green Tank, submitted their views to the consultation on the Special Environmental Study “EPM 8c: Natura 2000 Areas of the Regional Units of South Aegean – Dodecanese (parts)” and specifically on the Regional Unit of Kalymnos (Municipalities of Kalymnos, Patmos, Leros, Leipsoi and Agathonisi), Regional Unit of Karpathos (Municipalities of Karpathos and Kasos), Regional Unit of Kos (Municipalities of Kos and Nisiros) and Regional Unit of Rhodes (Municipalities of Rhodes, Megisti, Tilos, Symi and Chalki).
Considering the consultation on the South Aegean Special Environmental Study a positive development, the opinions, comments and recommendations submitted (per chapter) mainly concern the need to expand the study area of the present or a complementary Special Study.
In addition, the contribution of the LIFE MareNatura project to the objectives of the Special Environmental Study is emphasized. The LIFE MareNatura project will enrich the available knowledge on protected species in the areas examined by the Special Environmental Study. Scientific teams of the project have already been in the area during the previous months and have collected valuable data which, once processed, will be used for the expansion of Greece’s protected areas. Thus, Greece will be aligned with the latest European and international nature policy developments, as announced at the 9th Our Ocean Conference. The commitments include the designation of at least 30-32% of the country’s domestic waters as protected and the creation of the Aegean National Park.
You can read the comments submitted to the consultation in Greek here.