Greece’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Strategy and Action Plan) is the country’s response to its international commitments under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). It is a cross-sectoral strategy and action plan with national coverage for the 2014-2029 period, and which is also aligned with the EU 2050 vision. The general objectives are to halt biodiversity loss, promote biodiversity as a national natural capital, and intensify the contribution of Greece to preventing the loss of global biodiversity. Indirect contributions are noted to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. The Strategy and Action Plan will seek to ensure the compatibility of agricultural, fisheries and forestry activities with biodiversity conservation by promoting production methods that contribute to maintaining biodiversity; and reforming existing standards for forest management; updating regulations of forest harvesting operation among other activities. In particular, the Strategy and Action Plan will seek to increase knowledge about the assessment of biodiversity status; conserve national natural capital and restore ecosystems; organize and operate a national system of protected areas, and enhance the benefits from their management; conserve genetic resources, facilitate access to genetic resources, and ensure fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from their utilization; enhance the synergies among the main sectoral policies for the conservation of biodiversity, and establish incentives; conserve landscape diversity; protect biodiversity from invasive alien species; enhance international cooperation for biodiversity conservation; upgrade the quality and efficiency of public administration on biodiversity conservation; integrate biodiversity conservation into the value system of society; and inspire citizen participation in biodiversity; gain appreciation of ecosystem services and promote the value of Greek biodiversity. The Strategy and Action Plan will seek to prevent and minimize the impacts of climate change on biodiversity by studying the effects of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem functions; taking action so that the components of biodiversity will be able to adapt to climate change; reducing the impact of actions established to address climate change on biodiversity; and enhancing the role of forests in mitigating the effects of climate change. It will also seek to prevent and address threats resulting from natural disasters, such as wildfires and natural habitat destruction. The Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change is the main administrative institute responsible for implementing this Strategy and Action Plan and for coordinating the other Ministries and Agencies involved in the process.
Greece · 2014-04-01