The European Public Law Organization’s (EPLO) Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) successfully organized and delivered an engaging two-part program, an Ocean Literacy Workshop and a beach clean-up, to celebrate the “European Maritime Day in My Country”, as a part of the initiatives of the European Union Directorate General for Maritime Affairs. The event took place on Thursday, July 15, 2021 in Legrena, Sounio at the EPLO premises, situated near an environmental conservation area of coastal dunes.
EPLO Intern, Hannah Nivar, commenced the program on why literacy matters, followed by an introduction tothe Seven Principles of Ocean Literacyby Marine Resource Ecologist Ronald Tardiff. Mr. Spyros Kouvelis, Director of the EPLO-ISD, spokeon the importance of off-shore wind in meeting the national and EU targets for elimination of carbon emissions, but at the same time the impact can have on ecosystems if not properly planned. Last, Ph.D. candidate at the EPLO-ISD European Law and Governance School, Evangelos Maltezos,elaboratedon ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and Shipping. The participants that included EPLO and ELGS faculty, staff, alumni and stakeholders, and members of the local Legrena community discussed raising awareness regarding how humans interact with coastal environments and what practical steps can be taken to better support the environment.
Following the seminar, all sixty attendees divided in groups, in order to follow the hygiene and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19,had the opportunity to put into practice the basic concepts of Ocean Literacy and participate in a local beach clean-up, collecting plastics and other litter from the environmental conservation area of Legrena. More than 400 kilos of plastic and other debristhat otherwise would have ended in the sea was removed from the area.
The program was made possible by the generous contribution of the European Reliance Insurance Company, VeRture, and BabylonGardensand support from the Green Fund (“Development of Renewable Energy Sources whilst Ensuring the Environment, and Social Consensus and Conservation of the Natura 2000 Network” program).
