Introducing ECOP Greece
ECOP Greece is the national node of the UN Ocean Decade-endorsed Early Career Ocean GRECOPs: Empowering Greece’s Early Career Ocean ProfessionalsProfessionals (ECOP) Programme, created for ocean professionals based in or originating from Greece.
Rooted in Greece’s deep maritime heritage and its strategic role in the Mediterranean, ECOP Greece aims to build a strong, inclusive community of early career professionals working across ocean science, policy, conservation, and the blue economy.
© Ocean Image Bank/Katerina Katopis
History & Context
© Ocean Image Bank/Dimitris Poursanidis
Greece, with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean (>18,000 km; Hasan et al., 2023) and a strong maritime tradition, is closely linked to the marine environment. Approximately 85% of the population lives within 50 km of the coast, reflecting a strong societal dependence on coastal zones (Mourmouris et al., 2006). These areas support a large share of economic activity, including ~80% of industry, 90% of tourism and 35% of agriculture (European Environment Agency, 2025). As a result, the ocean plays a central role in national identity, economy, and culture, underpinning sectors from fisheries and shipping to marine conservation and coastal management.
At the same time, Greece has a growing community of ECOPs across academia, the blue economy, marine policy and environmental protection. Yet, until now, there has been no national platform dedicated to connecting these professionals, supporting collaboration and amplifying their voices. ECOP Greece seeks to bridge this gap.
Strategic Vision
The national ECOP node in Greece aims to create a structured and inclusive platform that empowers early career ocean professionals and strengthens their contribution to ocean sustainability at national, regional and global levels.
The node is designed to:
- Build a strong community and network
By connecting ECOPs across Greece and those studying or working in the country, fostering a supportive environment for exchange, collaboration and long-term professional relationships. - Provide tailored opportunities
Facilitating access to Mediterranean-relevant research, national programmes, industry partnerships and initiatives aligned with Greece’s marine and blue economy context. - Boost capacity development and skill building
Through workshops, webinars and networking activities that enhance collaboration, leadership, project management and science communication skills. - Enhance representation and visibility
Ensuring that Greek ECOP perspectives, challenges and innovations are actively represented in regional and global ECOP Programme activities and international ocean sustainability dialogues. - Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration
Bridging sectors including oceanography, fisheries, shipping, marine governance and the blue economy to promote integrated approaches to ocean challenges. - Increase recognition and impact
Strengthening connections with regional and global networks to improve access to funding, training, mentorship and collaborative opportunities.
In essence, the ECOP Greece node serves as a national platform enabling the next generation of ocean professionals to grow, collaborate, and eventually contribute to sustainable ocean development.
© Ocean Image Bank/Ben Jones
Current Progress and Ongoing Activities
Current Progress and Ongoing Activities
Building on this vision, ECOP Greece has established a steadily growing community, supported by a set of interconnected communication and coordination tools:
- A Slack workspace enabling direct communication, collaboration and knowledge exchange among members
- A LinkedIn group used to disseminate job opportunities, training calls, and relevant national and international initiatives
- A WhatsApp group facilitating internal coordination and rapid information sharing,
- A shared Google Drive repository, hosting:
- Node-related documentation
- Registries of marine institutions in Greece and Cyprus
- A developing database of member expertise
- The ongoing development of a mailing list, newsletter, and structured membership registry, aimed at strengthening outreach, engagement, and long-term sustainability
Institutional Engagement and National Alignment
In parallel with its community-building efforts, ECOP Greece is positioning itself within national and international governance frameworks under the UN Ocean Decade, with the objective of ensuring early career participation in ocean-related decision-making processes.
© Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean
Considering Greece’s role on the Executive Board of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission until 2027, together with the anticipated establishment of a National Decade Committee (NDC), this represents a timely opportunity to contribute to the development of inclusive and well-coordinated national Ocean Decade structures from the outset.
ECOP Greece is therefore actively working to establish bidirectional communication channels with senior experts, advisors, mentors and institutional stakeholders in order to:
- Strengthen guidance and mentorship frameworks for GRECOPs
- Facilitate the integration of early career professionals into ongoing and upcoming national and international activities
- Ensure that early career perspectives are systematically represented within emerging governance structures
As part of this approach, ECOP Greece is:
- Engaging with the Ocean Decade Coordination Team to identify relevant national focal points
- Proactively seeking contact with stakeholders involved in the establishment of a Greek NDC, with the aim of securing ECOP representation from the earliest stages
- Developing collaborations and exchange with established scientific and alumni networks, including the Oceanographers & Marine Bioscientists of Greece, to strengthen national connectivity and intergenerational exchange
- Coordinating with the ECOP Europe node to ensure alignment with broader regional initiatives and best practices
Through these actions, ECOP Greece is not only strengthening its national community, but also strategically embedding itself within the evolving institutional landscape, ensuring that:
- Early career professionals are represented within national structures
- Communication across generations and sectors is reinforced
- Opportunities for participation, leadership, and contribution are expanded
ECOP Greece Coordination Unit
Naomi Krauzig
Postdoc at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Evridiki Chrysagi
Research Scientist at the University of Hamburg
Sofia Darmaraki
Associate Scientist at the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute
Foteini Patouna
Associate Project Manager at ARCHELON
Contact us
Join the ECOP Greece community and get involved!
Send your expression of interest by simply contacting: greece@ecopdecade.org
List of communication channels or groups for ECOPs in Greece
Join ECOP Greece to connect with a growing community of ocean professionals, access opportunities, and help shape the future of the ocean in Greece and beyond:
Slack: https://tinyurl.com/Slack-ECOP-Greece
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecop-greece
Whatsapp: https://tinyurl.com/ECOP-Greece-WhatsApp
References
European Environment Agency (EEA). (2025). Greece: Country profile. In Europe’s environment-State and outlook 2025. https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/europe-environment-2025/countries/greece
Hasan, M., Drakou, E., Karymbalis, E., Tragaki, A., Gallousi, C., & Camino, L. (2023).
Modelling and mapping coastal protection: Adapting an EU-wide model to national specificities.
Sustainability, 15(1), 260. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010260
Kontogianni, A., Tourkolias, C. H., Damigos, D., & Skourtos, M. (2014).
Assessing sea level rise costs and adaptation benefits under uncertainty in Greece.
Environmental Science & Policy, 37, 61–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2013.08.006
Mourmouris, A., Kasidi, E., Vourvahis, M., Grigoriou, E., & Kanellopoulou, K. (2006).
Report of Greece on coastal zone management. Athens, Greece: Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.