Plan for more green islands with EU funding worth €300m

The energy and environment ministry is preparing to add more islands to its development plan for green, eco-friendly islands, through GR-Eco Island, an EU-funded program whose budget could reach 300 million euros.

The ministry’s secretary-general Alexandra Sdoukou, who headed a pilot project for the small Dodecanese island Halki, west of Rhodes, and oversees the overall GR-Eco Island effort, is currently involved in related talks with island mayors, officials at the shipping and island policy ministry, as well as deputy development and investments minister Yannis Tsakiris.

Sdoukou is believed to be working to establish criteria based on which island authorities can express funding interest for the transformation of their respective islands into smart, green and energy independent locations. Officials are expected to be invited to submit requests in the first half of 2022.

GR-Eco Island funding worth 100 million euros is expected to be derived from the new National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), while a further 200 million euros could be provided by the decarbonization fund.

The list of islands to be included on the GR-Eco Island, according to sources, are: Symi, Agathonisi, Megisti, Arkii, Marathi, Kasos, Pserimos, Gyali, Leipsii, Telendos, Nisyros, Megalonisi, Inousses, Psara, Fournii, Thymena, Amorgos, Anafi, Donousa, Iraklia, Antiparos, Schinousa, Ios, Sikinos, Koufonisi, Folegandros, Thirasia, Kythnos, Kimolos, Serifos, Sifnos and Kea.