Greece drafting strategy to protect its biodiversity

Greece is to draft its first ever national strategy to protect the country’s biodiversity, it was revealed on Wednesday.

Environment Minister Yiannis Maniatis said that he has signed a ministerial decision that paves the way for a 15-year strategy to be adopted 14 years after Greek authorities first began discussing such a scheme.

“We are already taking the next step in implementing our national strategy by preparing a coherent action plan,” said Maniatis.

The minister, however, will likely come up against the government’s own legislation. For instance the national biodiversity strategy foresees the creation of a national system to care for protected areas, whereas the ministry recently passed a law allowing some building and commercial activity in forested areas.