The need to protect the marine environment of the South Aegean against pollution, given the catalytic role that this entails for the sustainable development of the largest tourist Region of Greece, inspired the initiative of Regional Governor, George Hadjimarkou, to participate actively in the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as part of the Clean Seas Campaign.
“The South Aegean is the largest island region of Europe. It is our obligation to realize that protecting the marine environment is vital for us. It is the source of life for our region,” noted Regional Governor George Hatzimarkos, who met with Erik Solheim, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
“As one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, the South Aegean islands bear a massive environmental impact. Tapping into the UN’s environmental expertise and adopting its actions is a great opportunity for us to work towards ensuring the sustainability of our islands in the future as well as their further development. We wish to make the most of this chance for the benefit of our residents and visitors,” he added.
In February 2017, UN Environment launched the Clean Seas campaign with the aim of engaging governments, the public, and the private sector in the fight against marine plastic litter. The campaign seeks to address the root causes of marine plastic litter through a three-phased strategy over five years (2017-2021). The campaign’s key assets are its global reach; its unified voice, which can bring national movements under a single umbrella; and its collection of engaging materials, which are available in multiple languages.
The Clean Seas campaign aims to ban single-use plastics and microbeads within five years. It will do this by working with Governments to support action, with the private sector to change their business practices, and with citizens to call for action on this issue.
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