The ICOS network of 14 European countries has grown with one new member. Greece is joining ICOS with five atmosphere and ecosystem stations spread across the country. To initiate the collaboration, ICOS invited the Greek Ambassador to the ICOS Head Office in Helsinki, Finland.
The expectations are high on the new collaboration from both sides:
“It will significantly intensify interaction around greenhouse gas measurements within the scientific community. We will get more information and also give more information in an immediate and quick way. This is crucial to effectiveness,” says Mrs. Natalia Maria Karageorgou, Ambassador of Greece in Finland.
“We are taking decisive and quick steps towards our common goals when it comes to the environment. Ιt is an absolute priority to Greece. I am confident that being a part of ICOS will greatly step up Greece’s contribution and performance on environmental issues.”
The Mediterranean is seen as one of the hotspots in terms of climate change and the temperature is increasing faster there compared to the rest of the world.
“Finally, we get to fill that hole of missing stations in the Mediterranean. It is important that we bring the problems of the area to the front row,” says Professor Michalopoulos Nikolaos at University of Crete.
At the meeting, the Greek national network was also represented by Professor Ioannis Gitas (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Dr. Nektarios Chrysoulakis (Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas).