The invitation received by the Blue Municipalities Network from the European Commission to present its work, within the framework of the European goal “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, can only be considered significant! Researchers, politicians, industry representatives, and over 1,800 participants at the conference discussed the protection of marine ecosystems and the promotion of the blue economy. The collected practices and proposals are expected to contribute to shaping the upcoming European Ocean Pact, which is being prepared by the European Commission.
The Blue Municipalities Network was represented by its President, Mr. Antonopoulos and the Sustainability Manager, Dr. Alexis Katechakis. During the panel discussion in which they participated, they presented the network’s achievements, jointly emphasizing the need to support and expand the initiative at the European level. This is because the Blue Municipalities Network has now become a national model for Greece, having already demonstrated its role and added value for local communities. It is no coincidence that such a proposal aligns with the European Commission’s directives for promoting environmental democracy and the need to redesign policies at local and regional level to address environmental challenges.
Within this context, attendees showed great interest in the network’s operation, as reflected in the questions posed by representatives of European municipalities regarding the possibility of joining the network. The growing international recognition of the Blue Municipalities Network further confirms the innovation and effectiveness of the actions developed by its members, as well as the potential for this initiative to evolve into a European model.
