WRITTEN QUESTION E-0308/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: Desertification threatens Greece

In recent years the speed of desertification of Greece's territory has been accelerating. According to data from the National Committee to Combat Desertification, 30 % of Greece's territory is at risk of becoming desert in the immediate future. The problem is particularly serious in eastern regions of Central and Northern Greece (Thessaly, Macedonia, Thrace), in Southern Greece (the Peloponnese), in the Aegean islands and in most of Crete.

1. What data does the Commission possess on desertification in Greece?

2. What are the factors which are causing this phenomenon?

3. What are the consequences of the disturbance of the ecological equilibrium by desertification?

4. Has the Commission been notified by the Greek Government of the steps it intends to take to tackle the problem of desertification?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(28 March 2001)

The Commission realises that the problem of desertification is a threat in certain regions of the Member States, and more particularly Greece.

Desertification is a complex problem involving, at one and the same time, physical, chemical and biological processes in interaction with human activity. According to certain climate models climate change is likely to intensify this phenomenon, more especially around the Mediterranean Basin.

Several Community research programmes have helped in studying the deterioration of soils and desertification in the southern regions of Europe since the 1990s; At the moment, as part of the Fifth framework programme for research and technological development (RTD), the programme for environmental research and sustainable development (key activity relating to global change) includes a specific topic on this subject in support, in particular, of the United Nations Convention on the fight against desertification. The results of research are regularly presented at, for example, the International Conference held in Crete (Greece) in October 1996. This was intended to provide the link between research results and political implications (see publications EUR 17782 and 19303). Other RTD publications upgrading project results also help better to understand the problems involved, and more especially in Greece where the Greek scientific Community is, moreover, maintaining a presence in several European projects. Report EUR 18882 (Manual of key indicators of desertification and mapping areas that are environmentally sensitive to desertification) puts forward an approach methodology that has been tested, inter alia, throughout the island of Lesbos. As part of this group a concerted action Medrap (Concerted action to support the northern Mediterranean regional action programme to combat desertification) that is currently being funded by the Commission, is aimed at building bridges between science and action on the ground. The countries set out in Annex 4 to the Convention, thus including Greece, are represented in this.

In general terms, the activities of the European Community under the United Nations Convention are set out in a publication (Fighting desertification and soil deterioration) introduced at the most recent Parties' Conference held in Bonn in December 2000.

Moreover, at national level, the Greek National Action Plan required by the abovementioned Convention, also provides pointers as to the direction being taken by the activities selected by that country.

In addition during the 1994-1999 programming period roughly 17 million were committed under the Community's Interreg IIC Drought for Greece in order to conduct studies on the prevention of desertification and for water supply and management products. The Community's contribution was 10 374 million.

As part of the new programming period for the Structural Funds this problem was recognised as being an area where Greece will have to take remedial action; Thus as part of the Community support system for Greece covering 2000-2006 provision is made in Chapter 2.3.5 (quality of life), sub-chapter water for more priority to be given in certain regions suffering from desertification such as the Argolis Valley and certain Greek islands. A range of measures directly or indirectly linked with desertification is provided for in the regional programmes, the operational programme (OP) for the Environment and in agri-environmental measures in the rural development programming document jointly financed by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) Guarantee Section.