The Climate Change Hub (CCHub) participated for the third consecutive year in the Athens Democracy Forum 2023, organizing on Thursday, September 28th, a discussion on “The impact of “overtourism” and the climate crisis, on the tourism product of Greece and the countries of Southern Europe. The event was attended by distinguished scientists, journalists, and executives of important national and international institutions.
The proceedings were coordinated by Konstantina Karydi, Vice-President of the Climate Change Hub, and the panels by Daniel Holdgen, Director of Communication of the Council of Europe. Antonis Kefalas, strategy advisor of the CCHub and vice president of the Democracy and Culture Foundation, opened the session with his introductory remarks. The speakers (in order of presentation) included George Dikaios, Research Associate of the Node, Research Fellow at ELIAMEP and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Stathis Kalyvas, Professor of Political Science at the University of Oxford, Alexandros Vasilikos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, President of HOTREC, Ann Florini, professor of Practice at Arizona State University, fellow New America Political Reform Program, Climate & Democracy Initiative Network, Konstantinos Kartalis, professor of Environmental and Climate Physics of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mary Tziraki, urban planner, representative of the Hellenic Society for Culture and Environmental Protection (ELLET) and Marnie McGregor, Managing Director, Communications and Advocacy, Joint Program, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, Founding Chair Ecogenia.
Maria Logotheti, President of the CCHub and Advisor to ELIAMEP, focused on the Hub’s priority projects, currently underway, which aim to ensure the implementation of Greece’s green transition commitments at both national and European level and affirmed the Hub’s intention to continue its efforts including the tourism sector, in order to facilitate dialogue so as to create an enabling environment for broad, inclusive participation in governance. In conclusion, she noted that “the green transition can only be effective with and for society”.
