The Deputy Minister of National Defense Mr. Nikolaos Hardalias declared today, Tuesday, November 29, 2022, the opening of the Conference on “Climate Change and the Armed Forces – Impact of climate change on the security, means, equipment, infrastructure, operational planning and personnel of the Armed Forces/Adaptation to new climatic conditions”.

In the important and at the same time topical event, which was co-organized by the General Staff of the National Defense (GND) and the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA), in the “Commander (PIT) Dimitrios Kaberos” auditorium of the GND, in the Papagou camp, executives participated as speakers of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and distinguished professors of EKPA.

In his speech, the Deputy Minister of National Defense stated the following:

“It is my special honor and pleasure to attend today’s conference, an important action on Climate Change, the environment and the adaptation of the Armed Forces to the new conditions, which is being organized for the first time at the Ministry of National Defense with the participation of the National and Kapodistrian University. An action that is timely and at the same time necessary, which was initiated by GEETHA and is implemented, following the principles of continuity and consistency, with which we proceed.

The Ministry of National Defense, as part of the Government’s commitment to the protection of the environment, declared 2020 as the year of “Research, Technological Development, Innovation and Environmental Protection” and subsequently issued the “Environmental – Energy and Climate Crisis Adaptation Policy”, a comprehensive policy of prevention and response to climate change, incorporating practices and methods of national and international standards, to deal with the consequences of climate change and setting the axes on which the Armed Forces are called upon to operate.

It is a primary concern of the Political and Military Leadership of the Ministry of Defense, the transition to the era of energy autonomy, for the benefit of the environment, society and the economy, always in view of our Ministry, the safety of our personnel, means and infrastructure.

The whole effort would not have been successful without the contribution of the university community and the utilization of the research and experience possessed by our universities and research centers. The capabilities of scientists and their technicians is a strong heritage, which combined with the capabilities of the respective bodies and the specialized personnel of the Armed Forces, could ensure the necessary know-how, as well as the appropriate conditions to prevent and deal with modern environmental and climate crises and their consequences.

So at this point, we thank the participating Professors and researchers from EKPA and especially Mr. Konstantinos Kartalis, for his valuable assistance in matters related to his specialty, but also the integration of military aspects in science, for the benefit of operational planning and the security of the country.

Equally valuable is the knowledge and experience possessed by the involved bodies of the Ministry of Health, the General Staff, the Higher Schools of Education [Σχολή Εθνικής Άμυνας (ΣΕΘΑ) και Ανώτατη Διακλαδική Σχολή Πολέμου (ΑΔΙΣΠΟ)] and the Higher Educational Institutions, as well as the General Directorate of Economic Planning and Support/Directorate of Military and Technological Support, which as the competent Department of the Ministry on environment, energy and climate change issues, determines the policy and the main axes of action within the Armed Forces .

The rapidly changing energy environment, as shaped by evolving geostrategic conditions, the effects of climate change, as well as the fluid global economy, requires public and private leadership to be alert, flexible, innovative, adaptable and take bold and targeted decisions, in order to directly address the constantly emerging challenges.

In this direction, our Ministry has entered into Memorandums of Cooperation with Central Government bodies, as well as organizations of the wider research and development framework, the result of which is today’s meeting. The Public Electricity Company (PPC), the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DEDDIE), the Bank of Greece (BoG) and the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization (OFYPEKA) are some of these bodies, as there are a multitude of other memoranda and of collaborations signed at the level of GEETHA and General Staffs.

The purpose of all these memoranda is the more effective and better quality cooperation in matters related to the environment, energy and dealing with climate change, for the benefit of the operational readiness of the Armed Forces and the upgrading of their infrastructure and means. Ensuring the improvement of the safety conditions of society as a whole and the timely response to challenges from natural hazards or disasters, is a cornerstone of the beneficial and amicable cooperation mentioned above.

I therefore welcome today’s meeting with great enthusiasm and hope that it will be constructive and that it will be the starting point for other similar actions».

In the framework of the opening of the work of the Conference, a greeting was addressed by the Chief of GEETHA General Konstantinos Floros and the Vice Chancellor Research and Lifetime Education Professor K. Nikolaos Voulgaris as a representative of the Rector of EKPA.

​Present were the GES Chiefs Lieutenant General Charalambos LalousisGEN Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis PN and GEA Vice Admiral (I) Themistocles Bouroliasthe Deputy Chief GEETHA Vice admiral Ioannis Drymousis PN, the Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs of EKPA Professor Mr. Dimitrios Karadimas, delegations of executives from the three Branches of the Armed Forces, as well as students of Military Schools.