Joint Press Release, 12 September 2024
20 Environmental Organisations are calling on the Greek Government to reject the proposal to reduce the protection status of the wolf, which will be discussed at the forthcoming Council of Environment Ministers, asking the Greek Government to adopt an ambitious and scientifically based approach for the conservation of species and ecosystems in the EU and our country. As the Environmental Organisations stress in a letter to the Minister of Environment and Energy, Th. Skylakakis, which is being communicated to Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis, any downgrading of the legal protection of the wolf is contrary to the strong public support and scientific evidence in favour of wolf conservation in Europe. “The European Commission’s proposal seriously risks setting a precedent for other species and opening the door to further changes in EU nature legislation”, is noted.
At the same time, they call on the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Energy to set an immediate meeting between the Minister and the representatives of the organisations, to give them the opportunity to develop their views on the issue, before the day of the EU Council of Ministers meeting that will take a decision.
“The protection of wolves in Europe and Greece is not only a matter of ecological importance, but also a reflection of our commitment to the conservation of biodiversity and the values of coexistence and tolerance”, the Environmental Organisations note, highlighting that wolves are an integral part of Europe’s natural heritage, playing a vital role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and biodiversity, and the return of the wolf to parts of both Greece and Europe where the species was previously extinct is a major conservation success that should not be jeopardised.
In the context of the initiatives for the continuation of the wolf protection status, the Environmental Organisations, apart from their letter to the Greek Government, co-sign a corresponding letter from international Environmental Organisations and invite citizens to participate in the relevant online signature collection campaign through the Avaaz platform.
Below is the Letter of the 20 Organisations:
«Honourable Minister,
Following previous communications from Greek and European Organisations, on 22 February 2024, twenty (20) Greek environmental organisations called on you to reject the European Commission’s proposal to reduce the protection status of the wolf under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Environment and to send a clear message that the EU takes its European and international commitments to protect and restore biodiversity seriously. The points made in our letter of appeal, attached here, remain fully valid and need not be repeated.
Following our contacts with officials of the competent services of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, a few days after the letter was sent, we were informed that the official recommendations were generally in the same page as the position of the Environmental Organisations and we were given the impression that Greece will reject the EU proposal to reduce the protection status of the wolf at the Council of Environment Ministers, contributing to the conservation of the existing status, as enshrined in the Bern Convention and in the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC.
Unfortunately, we have recently been informed that Greece intends, after all, to vote in favour of reducing the protection status of the wolf in Europe!
However, the degradation of the legal protection of the wolf runs counter to the strong public support and scientific evidence in favour of wolf conservation in Europe. Moreover, the European Commission’s proposal seriously risks setting a precedent for other species, opening the door to further changes in EU nature legislation. This would create legal uncertainty and send a signal of backtracking on years of environmental conservation efforts across the continent. Such a move would seriously tarnish the EU’s reputation as a leader in environmental protection.
We call on you not to support the European Commission’s proposal to reduce the protection status of the wolf in the Bern Convention, by adopting an ambitious and scientifically based approach for the conservation of species and ecosystems in the EU and our country, regardless of political pressures that may be exerted.
We also request a meeting with you so that we can present our views on this critical issue, considering that the EU Council of Environment Ministers will soon be invited to decide on the European Commission’s proposal.
The co-signatory Environmental Organisations:
- ANIMA
- ARION
- ARCTUROS
- ARCHELON
- Action for Wildlife
- Hellenic Ornithological Society
- Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage
- Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature
- Naturefriends Greece
- Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace
- Society for the Protection of Prespa
- CALLISTO, Environmental Organisation for Wildlife and Nature
- Ecological Recycling Society
- i-Sea
- Greenpeace
- MEDASSET
- MedINA
- Mom
- The Green Tank
- WWF Hellas
