Joint letter from 13 organizations for the establishment of two new marine parks

On April 7, 2026, 13 environmental organizations submitted an official letter to the Ministry of Environment and Energy regarding the Aegean and Ionian marine parks. The aim of the letter was to speed up the process of establishing the two parks, in accordance with the government’s announcements and European commitments.

For the two parks, the consultation and comment submission process was completed in September 2025, and the relevant studies were approved in December 2025. Since then, the process of issuing the presidential decrees that will effectively establish the parks has been pending. The delay in these procedures is cause for concern, especially given the widespread phenomenon of “paper parks” that prevails in Greece. According to studies, only 12 of the country’s 174 Natura marine protected areas have an established protection status, with the rest protected only on paper. Given the country’s national and European commitments to achieving the 30×30 target, as well as the necessity for effective protection of the environment, the completion of the two MPAs is critical.

At the same time, the signatory organizations express their concern about the disproportionately rapid pace at which the government has pushed forward agreements for hydrocarbon exploration and extraction in the country, contrary to its climate and environmental goals.

The signatories call on the Ministry to live up to the commitments the country undertook, at the Prime Minister’s initiative, during the 9th International Conference on the Oceans held in Athens in 2024, by undertaking all necessary initiatives and actions to ensure that the process of establishing the two new marine parks proceeds in a timely manner and in accordance with relevant legislation. Given that the greatest challenge lies in the effective implementation and management of the parks, not just their establishment, it is crucial to simultaneously begin preparations for their implementation, with adequate resources, clear responsibilities, and meaningful partnerships