The MedWet Coordinator is visiting Greece to participate in the 1st Regional Conference on Governance & Financing for the Mediterranean Water Sector, a project labelled under the Union for the Mediterranean and organized by the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean, to be held in Athens on 28-30 October.
The Coordinator is using the opportunity to maintain discussion with Greek Government officials at the Ministry of the Environment and with the Coordinator of the Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP), Mr Gaetano Leone. He is also visiting the office of the Greek Biotope and Wetlands Centre (EKBY) in Thessaloniki, an old partner, with WWF-Greece to discuss wetland islands issues and with the Med-INA institute to discuss a partnership on wetland cultural issues.
The Coordinator, together with the MedWet Senior Advisor, Nejib Benessaiah, visited the WWF-Greece office in Heraklion, Crete, where the project on “Conservation of the island wetlands in Greece” was implemented during the period 2004-2013. The project included in-situ visits to 803 wetlands in 75 islands, creating an impressive inventory and database on wetlands in Greek islands now accessible in Internet in Greek and English. And even more important, it led to the issuing of a Presidential Decree affording protection to 380 island wetlands.
A draft resolution on Mediterranean island wetlands is being introduced by Greece at the Ramsar COP12 and MedWet hopes to be actively engaged in the implementation of that resolution when adopted.
Photos credit K. Paragamian WWF Greece
More information on the Project on Conservation of island wetlands in Greece on:
Download the publication Conservation of the Island Wetlands of Greece (2004-2013)
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