P. Kokkalis: Blue Growth Is the Next Challenge

Petros Kokkalis participated in the digital workshop organized by the European Parliament’s cross-party committee on the seas, rivers, islands, and coastal regions (SEARICA), Petros Kokkalis, a Member of the European Parliament for SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance, Vice Chair for the Blue Economy, Shipping Companies, and Ports, and former Deputy Mayor of Piraeus.

The workshop was titled «The Blue Dimension in the Green Deal: The Path Toward a Sustainable Recovery of the Blue Economy in Europe» and essentially addressed Blue Growth and the sustainable integration of water resources into the European Green Deal.

Among others, the workshop was attended by the Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevicius, and Portugal’s Minister of the Sea, Riccardo Serrao Santos, who currently holds the European Presidency.

The European Union’s Blue Economy Strategy, which will be presented for the first time this coming April, will be based on the Blue Investment Platform (Blue Invest Platform) and the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), and will focus on three pillars of the European Green Deal: decarbonization, the circular economy, and the protection of biodiversity.

Key points from the MEP’s remarks during the workshop:

«The ecosystem surrounding the Blue Growth initiative has matured and evolved significantly in recent years, and its alignment with the goals of the European Green Deal will give it new momentum and prospects.

We have the opportunity to make radical changes, breaking down the walls of the past to create new synergies based on geographic, economic, and academic factors, as well as at the citizen level. Our goal must be “Blue Growth” in an environmentally sustainable context, through the lens of protecting the seas and ecosystems, integrating networks, and fostering innovation, which is fully in line with the spirit and aspirations of the European Union.

It is fortunate that we are having this discussion under the Portuguese Presidency, since Portugal has one of the most comprehensive national strategies for Blue Growth in Europe.

Finally, we must place special emphasis on the systematic and scientific collection of data, especially regarding the Mediterranean. It is inexcusable that we know so little about a sea with such a rich history in relation to humankind. The Mediterranean also has another dimension: that of borders and cooperation with countries outside the EU.

»Thank you very much."

[Athens, January 28, 2021]