The Ministry of Environment and Energy in cooperation with the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency and the Green Fund, successfully organized the inaugural conference of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece, entitled «Circular Economy Implementation in Greece». The conference was held on-line on Thursday January 21, 2021, 10 a.m. – 1.30 pm, due to the pandemic restrictions applied in Greece.
Mr. Konstantinos Aravossis, Secretary General of Natural Evnironment & Water, gave the conference opening speech, with regard to the Road Map towards circular economy implementation in Greece, and the government policy. Mr. Manolis Grafakos, Secretary General of Waste Management Coordination followed, with a greeting speech about the 10-year National Waste Management Plan, as well as the role of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece in supporting certain goals of the aforementioned Plan.
Greeting speeches were also given by:
- Mr. Stathis Stathopoulos, President of Green Fund, who highlighted the role of Green Fund, as a co-financer not only of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece but also of other major environmental projects in the country,
- Mr. Pavlos Doikos, Thematic Coordinator for the Environment at NEEMO EEIG, from the external monitoring team, who gave a speech on the role of EU LIFE projects, as financial instruments to support business innovation and growth in the country.
- Ms. Anastasia Arfanakou, Head of Waste Management Directorate in the Ministry of Environment and Energy, who indicated the recent actions of the Directorate as well as the next steps of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece.
The conference included 14 thematic presentations about the actions of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece.
The main topics were: the general overview of the project (MEEN), alternative waste management in Greece (HRA), Circular Economy and Bio-waste in insular areas (DAFNI Network), food waste prevention & development of waste alliances in the agri-food sector (MEEN), challenges, good practices and demonstration actions in food waste prevention (HUA), integrated green centers and PAYT systems (ERS), integrated management of household hazardous waste (TN), economic & financial instruments and capacity building for the implementation of circular economy (GRFU), the creation of a circular economy observatory (NECCA), development of standards for secondary materials and the National Repository of CE (NQIS – ELOT).
Moreover, the programme included guest speakers, from the French National Institute for CE (INEC) and the LIFE Reclaim project, as well as organizations that are active in the field of circular economy in Greece, such as the movement BOROUME and the Social Enterprise KELLIA in Tinos island.
Approximately 300 guests attended the conference, through registration to the e-presence platform, where it was held, or live streaming via the LIFE-IP CEI-Greece channel on Youtube. The audience repeatedly congratulated the organising team throughout the conference, an encouraging proof of the succesful completion of the 1st Conference of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece.
