ENVIRONMENT


Save seagrass meadows, HCMR study says
NEWS

If Greece takes steps to stem the destruction of its meadows of Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica) in the Southern Aegean alone, it could reach 37% of its greenhouse gas emissions absorption target by 2030, a study spearheaded by the Hellenic Center for Marine Research has found.

Dutch experts back river diversion for Thessaly
NEWS

Dutch post-disaster advisers support the idea of diverting River Acheloos in Epirus as “the most sustainable solution” to alleviate the water scarcity problem that is threatening agricultural production in the Thessaly region of central Greece.


EU says more needed to prepare for climate change risks
NEWS

Despite acknowledging the mounting toll climate change is unleashing on Europe’s farmers – floods in Greece destroyed 15% of the country’s agricultural yield last year – the European Commission did not signal any upcoming policy changes that would drive the sector to adapt.

Giant stinging jellyfish spotted off Rhodes
NEWS

Scientists on Rhodes have confirmed that four nomad jellyfish, a large species that can cause very painful injuries to humans, have been found in waters around the Dodecanese island in the last 24 hours.


Rains are scarce in the Amazon. Instead, megafires are raging
THE NEW YORK TIMES

By this time of the year, rain should be drenching large swaths of the Amazon rainforest. Instead, a punishing drought has kept the rains at bay, creating dry conditions for fires that have engulfed hundreds of square miles of the rainforest that do not usually burn.

Building bonuses shot down by top court
NEWS

The bonus in square meters and height under Greece’s new Building Code was ruled unconstitutional in principle by the E Section of the Council of State,  Greece’s highest administrative court.

Subsidies for greener ferry fleet
SHIPPING

Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Christos Stylianidis is close to securing subsidies and credits of about 1.5 billion euros to finance new coastal passenger ferries, which will drastically reduce the sector’s carbon dioxide emissions.



Greece witnesses hottest winter on record
NEWS

This winter has been the hottest in recorded Greek history, according to preliminary data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) analyzed by the scientific team of the National Observatory of Athens, meteo.gr.

Crete demolitions saga continues
NEWS

After the Court of First Instance of Lasithi on the island of Crete temporarily halted the demolition of unauthorized constructions on the beaches of Elounda, the Police Directorate of Lasithi has now granted a tacit postponement to the demolitions in Ierapetra.


Coastal zone bill approved with tweaks
NEWS

Parliament on Thursday ratified the draft law on the use of public property in coastal areas with the inclusion of some revisions that had been requested by social organizations.

Parliament passes bill on coastal exploitation rules
NEWS

A bill relaxing the rules of coastal exploitation was passed in Parliament on Thursday with 158 votes from the government majority in the 300-seat House, with all eight opposition parties voting against it.

Program seeks reduction of pesticides in agriculture
ECONOMY

Breaking the indiscriminate cycle of spraying fields with pesticides is the objective of a major 28-month research program involving the Agricultural University of Athens, the Hellenic Mediterranean University, the Hellenic Agricultural Organization, the Benaki Phytopathological Institute, the Aristotle University, the Democritus University of Thrace and the Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (FORTH). Funded […]