Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, representing Greece, today inaugurated the country’s pavilion at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey. The event was centred on the ‘Amorgorama’ initiative, which was presented to an international audience as an example of good practice in mobilising local communities to protect biodiversity.

The panel discussion, moderated by Dr Chloe Streven, Head of Impact at The Conservation Collective, included the Minister, Michalis Crossman, President of the Amorgos Professional Fishing Association ‘I Hozoviotissa’, and Angela Lazou-Dean, Senior Projects Manager for Greece at the Blue Marine Foundation.

The discussion highlighted the role of local communities in safeguarding the natural environment and biodiversity, while Mr Papastavrou stressed the importance of cooperation between citizens, local government, the state, non-governmental organisations and the scientific community.

‘Greece, with more islands than any other country in the European Union, has the sea in its DNA. With the two National Marine Parks, in the Ionian Sea and the South Aegean I – Southern Cyclades, and the draft presidential decree plan, which is already before the Council of State, we will achieve the target we have set by 2027, protecting 35% of our seas. Amorgos is showing the way: when the local community takes the lead, protection becomes everyone’s responsibility,’ he said, among other things.

Mr Papastavrou also met Brazil’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, João Paulo Ribeiro Capobianco, in the presence of the Secretary-General for Natural Environment and Water, Petros Varelidis. They discussed areas in which bilateral cooperation could be strengthened, including tackling the consequences of climate change and combating environmental crime.

In this context, Brazil’s Minister thanked his Greek counterpart for Greece’s support, alongside that of 82 other countries, for the launch of negotiations on a protocol against environmental crime proposed by Brazil and discussed in Vienna in October 2026, at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC COP13).

The Brazilian Minister invited Mr Papastavrou to the international 2027 Ocean Decade Conference, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro from 7 to 9 April next year.

The Minister subsequently held a working meeting with the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Celeste Saulo, alongside Mr Varelidis. They discussed the global challenges posed by climate change and agreed to organise a meeting in Greece during 2027, bringing together all relevant bodies to exchange best practices on Early Warning Systems for natural disasters.

At an event organised by the European Pavilion to support cities in their transition to clean electricity, the Minister had the opportunity to speak with European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen, just days after their meeting at the European Union Energy Council in Luxembourg.

On the sidelines of the events, the Environment and Energy Minister met Croatia’s Environment Minister, Marija Vučković. They discussed the revision of ETS1, which will be on the agenda of the European Union Environment Council in Brussels in December.

At the Greek pavilion, under the slogan ‘Climate: A Greek word, a global challenge’, Mr Papastavrou also spoke with the leaders of the Youth Climate Diplomacy Forum for Southeast Europe, a regional network operating under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair on Climate Diplomacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The young representatives presented him with their proposal for Greek participation in the European Youth Delegation. The Environment and Energy Minister thanked them for their environmental awareness and for taking part in the international dialogue on the future of the planet. As he said: ‘You, the young people, are the future. It belongs to you, and you have a duty to help shape it. Our door is always open – and I invite you to take part in future initiatives organised by the Ministry of Environment and Energy that are of interest to you.’

Yesterday, Wednesday 11 November, the Minister also represented Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, where he attended the national statement by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, who began his address by declaring that ‘the Republic of Cyprus is a sovereign, independent and equal member state of the United Nations’.

Mr Papastavrou then attended the inauguration of Ukraine’s pavilion, alongside the country’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Turkey, Nariman Dzhelyalov, and European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen. He expressed Greece’s unwavering support for Ukraine, which continues to come under attack as a result of the Russian invasion.

It is noted that the Greek Ambassador to Ankara, Theodoros Bizakis, and a delegation from the Greek Embassy took part throughout the Minister’s visit.