Special Envoy for the Oceans Dr. Avgerinopoulou at the Blue Leaders Meeting in Brussels

Greek Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Oceans, and Coordinator of Our Ocean Conference 2024 to be held in Greece 15-17 April, Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou and the Greek Secretary General for Natural Environment and Waters Mr. Petros Varelides, participated in the Blue Leaders meeting held on March 7th in Brussels by the Belgian presidency of the EU.

In preparation of Our Ocean Conference, the Coordinator had a series of high-level meetings with ministers and UN officials. Dr. Avgerinopoulou and Mr. Varelides, met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Nord Sea of Belgium, Mr. Paul Van Tigchelt. They also met with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares and Mr. Vidar Helgesen, IOC-UNESCO Executive Secretary. Furthermore, Special Envoy Dr. Avgerinopoulou and the Greek Secretary General Mr. Varelides, met with the UK Minister of State for Climate, Environment and Energy Lord Benyon and the Minister of Environment of Capo Verde, Mr. Carvalho Silva.

On the occasion of the Blue Leaders meeting, Dr. Avgerinopoulou had the opportunity to meet with the Ocean Envoy of Belgium, Ms. Sophie Mirgaux and the Special Representative of Germany, Mr. Sebastian Unger.

The Blue Leaders are an ambitious group of countries advocating for urgent action to save the ocean in the face of the climate crisis. Overfishing, pollution, and the urgency of a swift ratification of the BBNJ Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) were the key themes of the discussions held by the participants.