WWF Greece, Greenpeace and ClientEarth call to halt seismic hydrocarbon exploration west and southwest of Crete

Posted on March, 01 2024

WWF Greece, Greenpeace and ClientEarth are calling on the Greek state to halt the ongoing seismic surveys and the hydrocarbon extraction programme in the sea of Crete and part of the Hellenic Trench.

According to NAVTEX, the surveys are currently being carried out by the vessel RAMFORM HYPERION, supported by three other vessels, in the sea of Crete and part of the HellenicTrench. The activities, according to the relevant data, began on 22 February and will last until 31 March 2024. However, no official announcement has been made by the consortium of the oil companies which have been granted the right to explore and exploit hydrocarbons in the "West Crete" and "Southwest Crete" sea areas, until now.

The European Commission is informed that seismic surveys are taking place in the west and southwest of Crete in violation of EU law. In December 2023, in fact, the organisations filed an official complaint notifying the Commission about systematic violations of EU legislation through the approvals of oil and gas exploration and extraction programmes in the country's marine areas.

According to scientific evidence and data published in a recent scientific study by Greenpeace and the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute it has been confirmed that at least four species of marine mammals live in the deep waters of the Hellenic Trench both in summer and in winter. Until recently this lack of important scientific information has been used to justify and allow seismic surveys (harmful for whales and dolphins) to be carried out during the winter season.

In their formal complaint to the European Commission, the organisations state, among other things, the following:

Hydrocarbons’ exploration and exploitation programmes in Greek seas are approved in violation of the EU law, as Greek authorities fail to adequately carry out the required assessments of the impacts of such activities (including seismic surveys) on marine biodiversity.
Of particular concern is the fact that seismic surveys are not subject to the appropriate assessment required by EU legislation. In effect, seismic surveys, under Greek legislation, are even radically excluded from any environmental permitting process.
Scientific evidence shows that such harmful activities are likely to endanger marine protected areas and threaten endangered species such as whales, dolphins, seals and sea turtles.

Despite the repeated statements of the International Energy Agency that in a world of climate crisis, but also considering the economic landscape for fossil fuels in the coming years, there is no room for new hydrocarbons, Greece remains attached to fossil fuels and promotes highly dangerous drilling for hydrocarbons in its sensitive seas. WWF Greece, Greenpeace and ClientEarth reiterate their request for the European Commission's intervention and ask the Greek government to immediately halt the planned activities for the extraction and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Greek seas, as they are approved in violation of EU environmental law.