On Friday, 14 January 2022, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias and the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, in charge of Environmental Protection, Mr. Georgios Amyras, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by the Ministry of National Defence and the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA). The ceremony was held in “Ioannis Kapodistrias” Hall, in the Ministry of National Defence.

The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed, on behalf of the Ministry of National Defence by the General Director of the Directorate for Financial Planning and Support Rear Admiral Dimitrios Ryziotis and, on behalf of NECCA, by the Chairperson of the Administrative Board Ms. Maria Papadopoulou.

The Memorandum of Cooperation includes actions and commitment for the protection of the environment and the adaptation of the Armed Forces to climate crisis.

The main purpose of the Memorandum is to develop a strategy and actions in order to support services and activities relevant to matters of provision of information, raising awareness and promoting activities in fields of interest of the Environmental-Energy and Political Adaptation of the Ministry of National Defence to Climate Change. More specifically, this Memorandum of Understanding defines a potential cooperation on topics pertinent to:

• Developing a book with practices and instructions on the environmental assessment of a grid of protected areas under NATURA 2000, with a view to reducing, as much as possible, the environmental footprint of the Armed Forces in these areas.

• Creation of educational and informative material about protected areas, about the protection of biodiversity and the climate change, which will be distributed to the entire personnel of the Armed Forces.

• Military Open Science through the monitoring of the population of rare species, rare habitats and natural parameters relevant to climate change and the dissemination of information to NECCA.

This Memorandum is in force as of today after it was signed by the representatives of the two parties and its duration is set to three years, with a possibility to extend it after a written accord of the parties.

After the signing of the Memorandum, Mr. Chardalias stated:

“This Memorandum is an implementation of the government’s commitment to the protection of the environment.

The provision of information, training and the interaction of the personnel of the Armed Forces about the challenges and risks caused by the climate crisis, reinforce their outreach activities and contribute to the common interest and to the community in various manners and at diverse levels”.

Mr. Amyras stated:

“Facing climate crisis and protecting biodiversity are a top priority of the Ministry of the Environment. We join our forces with the Ministry of National Defence and we promote common green policies not only in the field of training but in the field of protected areas as well.

The Armed Forces, as a duly structured organization with an excellent efficiency provide us a guarantee of success in the management of climate crisis.”