Defend the life in our seas!

Hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation exacerbates the current climate crisis, contributes to tensions between countries leading to purchases of military equipment, adding to the economic downturn, eventually destroys tourism and fishing economies. Furthermore, it particularly poses a direct threat to endangered and vulnerable species in the areas of the internationally recognized Hellenic Trench. Therefore, we mandate that the treaties signed by Greece be implemented and that hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation plans for the area are abandoned.

Off our coasts, from the Ionian Sea, south of Crete, up to Rhodes, lies a wonderful aquatic world: the Hellenic Trench. This underwater formation, with gorges more than 5 km deep, is the most important habitat for the endangered population of Mediterranean Sperm Whales. It is also one of the most important habitats for the Mediterranean Cuvier's beaked whales, which live, feed and breed here. Additionally, many species of dolphins, fin whales, sea turtles and Mediterranean seals and other endangered and protected species live in those deep seas.

Due to the diversity and relative abundance of the cetaceans it hosts, it is a habitat of global ecological value recognized by the IUCN as an IMMA (Important Marine Mammal Area). In addition, the "International Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area" (ACCOBAMS), recently ratified by the Greek Parliament, has stipulated since 2007 that the Hellenic Trench be declared as a Marine Protected Area, suggesting that the Greek authorities should have taken appropriate measures.

However, despite internationally renowned scientists and environmental organizations calling for compliance with those commitments and underlining the urgent need to take all necessary measures to prevent threats to the survival of cetaceans in our seas, the Greek state is turning a blind eye and doing the complete opposite. It divides the Hellenic Trench into “blocks“ and grants it to oil companies for oil and gas drilling, allowing the uncontrolled passage of vessels and the conduct of military exercises in the area, in effect granting the expulsion and eventual extinction of marine mammal populations, a proven consequence of these activities. It is worth noting that offshore drilling is planned to take place in areas of great depths and intense seismic activity without the evidence relating to this being taken into account in a meaningful way and minus any risk insurance.

Biodiversity is the true wealth of the Greek seas. In early 2022, we witnessed Cuvier's beaked whales washed up dramatically on the beaches of Corfu. During those days, the seismographic vessel SW COOK was secretly conducting seismic surveys with continuous sound blasts on behalf of HELLENiQ ENERGY (formerly HELPE). Given that for every Cuvier's beaked whale we see washed ashore it is estimated that there may even be ten times the number of those that have been lost forever in the deep sea, then we can understand the true magnitude of the impact. 

Cetaceans are amongst the most sensitive species on the planet in terms of the impact and effects of noise pollution on their organisms, to the point that it threatens their very survival. Seismic surveys, which use intensive and very powerful sonic vibrations to penetrate the seafloor and create three-dimensional images of deposits, injure the cetaceans' sensitive auditory organs, causing them panic and distress, leading to disorientation or even to death. There is concern about the destruction of intertidal and deep-water squid colonies, which in turn endangers the populations of cetaceans and of various large fish (tuna, swordfish, sharks) that feed on them.

Offshore oil and gas operations have a devastating impact on marine life. Inevitably they will lead to a further increase in vessel traffic. This, in turn, increases the risk of vessel strikes causing potentially fatal injuries to the cetaceans. Furthermore, the construction and operation of ports, platforms and pipelines will cause damage to benthic habitats. 

This is a genuine threat, which must be prevented at all costs. A precedent has been set in other countries. Our Assembly will not be the first nor the last to address this concerning issue. In Spain, a broad social coalition has adopted a demand to recognise the 'Cetacean Migration Corridor' on the east coast of the country as an area requiring urgent protection. The pressure exerted forced the government to cancel all drilling plans and declare it a Marine Protected Area. Other European countries such as Italy, France and Portugal have also decided to cancel their plans for offshore exploration and exploitation in order to protect the environment, the tourism and fishing economies. Moreover, the EU considers that “major accidents relating to offshore oil and gas operations are likely to have devastating and irreversible consequences on the marine and coastal environment as well as significant negative impacts on coastal economies", while the European Investment Bank has suspended funding for fossil fuel energy projects as the climate crisis is worsened by the economic growth dominated by fossil fuel energy sources.

We, the undersigned, mandate that the protection of the Hellenic Trench be put into practice in accordance with international conventions and that Greece’s hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation program will be abandoned permanently. 

Panhellenic Assembly for the Protection of the Hellenic Trench

Open Assembly of Kefalonia-Ithaca against hydrocarbon exploitation | Open Assembly of Ioannina against energy extractivism | Βio7nisa | Vrisoules | Citizens' information network against extractions, mining, oil and gas drilling - Preveza | Volunteers of Paxos | Fossil Free Corfu | Gastivists | My Dolphin Club | NodrillZante - Initiative of Zakynthos for hydrocarbon-free Ionian Sea | Ecological Intervention of Heraklion | Ecological Initiative of Chania | Corfu Environmental Initiative | Crete Initiative against oil and gas drilling | Lefkada Citizen Initiative against oil and gas drilling | Save Greek Seas | Sea Shepherd Greece | SOS Kyparissiakos - Trifylia Initiative against hydrocarbon exploitation.

This campaign is supported by: 

• Archipelagos - Institute of Marine Conservation
• Arion - Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center
• Greenpeace Greece
• Hellenic Chamber of Environment and Sustainability
• Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute
• WWF Hellas
• A promise to animals (APA)
• Action for Wild Life
• Aegean Rebreath
• Alkioni - Aegean Wildlife Hospital
• Alternative Cultural Workshop (Corfu)
• ANIMA Association for the Protection and Care of Wild Life
• Animal Rescue and Defence Squad
• AntiGold Greece
• ARCHELON - Τhe Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece
• Argos Animal Rescue
• Association of Contract Archaeologists (SEKA)
• Biodiversity Watch Greece
• BIOZO Bioconsumers for Quality Life
• Citizens for Enviromnment - No Hydrocarbon exploitation in Katakolo
• Citizens’ initiative for the protection of Greek islets
• Citizens’ Movement of Hortiati
• Coordination of Rethymno against Industrial RES
• Corfu Sailing Club
• “Don’t Dig it” Greece - Turkey - Cyprus: Cooperation against war and mining
• Dreamdancers
• Dynamo Kythira
• Ecological Network
• Environmental Action of Ilia
• Environmental Association of the Evia town of Kymi
• Environmental Initiative of Magnesia (Volos)
• Environmental & Cultural Group of Mani (PERIPOLO)
• Environmental Protection Association of Corfu
• Ethos & Empathy
• Filoxenia Intercultural-Environmental Organisation
• Forest Protection and Environmental Protection Association of Kymi (Euboea)
• Fridays for Future Greece (Athens)
• Fridays for Future Thessaloniki
• GRAIGO Environment Organization
• Health and Environment Protection Association of Chalandritsa-Patra (SYLPYP)
• Helession Environmental and Nutritional Organization
• Hellenic Animal Welfare Federation
• Board members of Hellenic Graduates’ Association of Department of Marine Sciences (HGADMS)
• Hellenic Ornithological Society
• Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature
• Initiative against environmental degradation and climate change
• Initiative for the rescue, promotion and sustainable development of the Pediada plains (Crete)
• Initiative of Zografou (EAZ)
• iSea
• Liberanimal
• MEDASSET
• Naturefriends Greece (NFGR)
• Naxos island wildlife protection
• Nemesis, Panhellenic Federation for the Environment, Animals and Hunting
• NIREAS - Union for the protection of natural and cultural environment of Corinthian and Patraian Gulfs
• Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation (PFPO)
• Panhellenic Educators Association for Environmental Education (P.E.EK.P.E)
• Panhellenic Network of Collectives for Energy
• Save Erimitis
• Save Falasarna Citizens Initiative
• Save Wild
• Sea Shepherd Italia
• SOS Mainalo
• Speleological Association of Crete (SPOK)
• Support Earth
• The Green Tank
• Thessaloniki Anti-Mining Struggle Committee
• Tulipa Goulimi - Environmental Association
• Vegan Life
• Wildlife Conservation and Care Centre (Pyrgos, Messinia)
• Ziria Protection Network