Mayors from all over Greece pledged, during the 7th Ecological Symposium in Elafonisos, to implement sustainable practices. The 7th Ecological Symposium, organized by the Elafonisos Eco association, with the support of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, took place between 10 and 16 June 2024 in Elafonisos.

During this year’s symposium, a Conference of Mayors was also held, attended by mayors from different parts of Greece, such as Tilos, Kea, Andros, Kalamata, Astypalaia, Vouliagmeni and Elafonisos. The Minister of Digital Governance and the Vice-Regional Governor of Laconia also participated. The mayors presented their ecological actions in their own islands and cities and pledged to support environmental conservation efforts and projects in their region, in their prefectures and in the rest of the country.

The agreement they signed includes, among others, the following commitments:

– Increased investment in renewable energy and sustainable transportation: Commitment to transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, promoting public transport, cycling, and walking to reduce emissions and improve air quality; – Implementation of circular economy principles: Focus on upgrading, reusing and recycling materials to reduce waste and environmental impact, promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns.
Production of sustainable production and production methods, including the use of renewable energy sources and the promotion of sustainable production and recycling.

– Protecting natural habitats and marine biodiversity: Commitment to preserving ecosystems such as forests and coral reefs, controlling invasive species and creating Marine Protected Areas to support biodiversity and sustainable tourism.

– Increase public awareness and promote cooperation: Invest in education campaigns to promote sustainability, and call for wider participation from local authorities, academia, industry and citizens to support environmental initiatives. Here are some of the points they made during their presentations: – Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance: The Minister mentioned that we need to address ecological and green solutions in all sectors, and how we can breathe life into small places like Elafonisos. He stressed that we must of course also pay attention to recycling and sustainable mobility. He asked the mayors to look beyond the daily routine to what needs to be done and what we will leave as a legacy to future generations.

– Grigoris Konstantellos, Mayor of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni and First Vice President of KEDE.

Mr. Konstantellos pointed out that it is important to embrace renewable energy sources, including wind and solar. He said they have also created a hybrid power plant to improve energy efficiency and are focusing on sustainable tourism and local agricultural projects to support the community’s economy. – Maria Kamma, Mayor of Tilos: The Mayor of Tilos reported that Tilos, (a Natura 2000 island), despite its small population and location, has made significant strides in sustainable tourism and zero waste initiatives, making it the first island in the world to achieve zero waste certification. She explained that wider efforts are being made to make the island energy self-sufficient through renewable energy sources.

The mayor noted that often national policies do not take into account the needs of small islands and called for measures that support their economic and environmental sustainability.

– Theodore Veroutis, vice-regional governor of Laconia: Mr. Veroutis spoke about how important waste management, the fixing of rocky slopes and the promotion of Eurota through biological treatment are. He pointed out that the plans should aim at sustainable development and that Elafonisos and the Peloponnese need proper resource management in order to preserve the land and its natural beauty for future generations.

– Irini Velissaropoulou, Mayor of Kea: The Mayor of Kea said that the biological purification is under construction and said that they are also making great efforts in saving water consumption by using telemetry. Especially for the summer when there is water shortage, it is an important system, for which they have even been awarded. He also mentioned that they are promoting intangible cultural heritage to preserve the traditions of the island (from stone houses to traditional musical instruments such as tambourines).

– Theodoros Sousoudis, Mayor of Andros: Mr. Sousoudis said of his island that it is full of greenery unlike the rest of the Cyclades islands. He said that the island has many EU-certified trails, which attract a lot of tourism.

Garbage is an issue that they have focused on to create a landfill on the island again. At the same time they are already doing sewage treatment, composting (in collaboration with the National Kapodistrian University of Athens) and recycling. They already have electric buses and cars in the municipality and promise to make all the cars in the municipality electric in the future.

– Nicholas Basakidis, mayor of Kalamata: The Mayor of Kalamata clarified that the business document has been approved by the European Commission that depicts how by 2030, Kalamata will be a climate neutral city. He also assured that solar energy will be exploited to make the prefecture’s energy green.

– Nikolaos Komeneas, mayor of Astypalaia: Mr. Komeneas supported the preservation of the natural beauty of the island by limiting large-scale interventions. He proposed the introduction of electric vans to reduce traffic and pollution from visitors’ cars, improving their experience. He stressed the importance of community participation in renewable energy projects, ensuring local benefits and sustainable energy production for the island.

– Angelos Tsirigotakis, Mayor of Elafonisos: The Mayor of Elafonisos said that from the 90s onwards, locals have moved from fishing as their main source of income to tourism. He also said that tourism is necessary for Elafonisos, but in a sustainable way through a balanced approach. The invasion of lionfish and their uncontrolled proliferation is a major problem, and for this reason he suggested ways of incorporating lionfish into the local diet.

He also said that an agreement has been signed for the treatment of deer wastewater and that waste management methods will be implemented. In closing, the President and founder of Elafonisos Eco, Mr. Enrico Toja, suggested to those present to make a collective effort. He thus invited the invited mayors to sign the agreement in order to work collectively for a better future.

About Elafonisos Eco Elafonisos Eco, founded in 2013, is an ecological association that focuses on environmental actions, on the conservation of natural resources, always with a positive social impact. The main goal is to make Elafonisos an ecological and sustainable island, to preserve the unique natural environment (part of which is protected by UNESCO), while improving the quality of life of the permanent residents, visitors and future generations. Elafonisos Eco Week 2024 (EEW24) Elafonisos Eco is the first ecological association founded on a Greek island, and undertakes multifaceted actions.

So far, with the help of volunteers, it has planted over two thousand trees on the island, has donated a water filtration machine for fresh drinking water and for the reduction of plastic, has organized beach clean-ups and has organized symposia on the environment, among other things. Its actions have been hosted at conferences of international importance such as Ocean Week 2024 in Monaco and our initiatives have had a significant impact globally.

Elafonisos Eco Week is an ecological symposium held for the 7th year in Elafonisos, from 10 to 16 June. Organized by the Elafonisos Eco Association, this annual event aims to highlight the importance of ecological strategies, while bringing together people from different backgrounds to discuss and present opportunities to promote environmental stewardship. The main objective is to promote sustainability for our planet.

For more information and to register for our events, visit our website or contact us: info@elafonisoseco.org https://www.elafonisoseco.org/ https://www.instagram.com/elafonisoseco/