ABSTRACT
Greece has the longest coastline of all states on the Mediterranean Sea and the third longest coastline of the countries in this book – after Australia and the USA. Given their attractiveness for a range of uses, Greek coastal areas have increasingly been subject to intensive pressures from human activities, including tourism, recreation, vacation homes, fisheries, and aquaculture. These pressures threaten coastal ecosystems and natural resources while also generating conflicts between incompatible land uses. The sheer length of Greece's coastline, together with its centralized system of governance and a fragile economy, has challenged coastal zone management. Greece has not yet ratified the Mediterranean Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Protocol, and its coastal setback falls short of the standard set by that document. In addition, authorities must contend with past widespread illegal development. More recently, various measures taken during the economic crisis period (2010–2018) in order to boost the Greek economy have added additional layers of complexity. This chapter delves into these challenges at a time when the Greek public is gradually becoming more aware of the value of the coastal area as both an environmental and an economic resource.
