Greece’s Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou on Tuesday highlighted the importance of two newly announced Marine National Parks – one in the Southern Cyclades and one in the Ionian Sea – for safeguarding the country’s marine environment and preserving biodiversity.
“The sea has been the cradle of Greek civilisation and maritime power, and it is inseparably tied to the core of our national identity,” the minister said during an appearance on SKAI television.
He described the initiative as “a historic step with both national and human significance.” The total area of the two parks will span approximately 27,500 square kilometers – exceeding the initial pledge made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Papastavrou said.
The selected sites were chosen due to their status as “particularly sensitive ecological ecosystems,” he noted. Greece hosts the world’s largest population of the Mediterranean monk seal, which primarily inhabits the Southern Cyclades.
“Marine biodiversity is not the concern of scientists alone – it matters to our islanders, our fishermen, our children. It is not an abstract concept – it is daily life in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. It is our shield against the climate crisis, and it unites us,” Papastavrou said.
With the creation of the new parks, 35% of Greece’s territorial waters will be under protection – a figure that exceeds the EU-wide target of 30% by 2030. Greece will meet that goal ahead of schedule, by 2026, the minister added.
He also noted that Greece is the first EU member state to ban bottom trawling in especially degraded marine areas – a policy already adopted by countries such as Denmark and Sweden.
Asked about the stability of Greece’s power grid during the ongoing heatwave, Papastavrou said capacity is sufficient, but authorities remain on constant alert. “There is no complacency – we remain in a state of full readiness,” he said.