Smart Islands Initiative [GR]

The Aegean Energy and Environment Agency, AEGEA, and the Network of Sustainable Greek Islands, DAFNI, coordinate the Smart Islands Initiative. The Initiative represents a bottom-up effort of EU local and regional island authorities from across Europe to highlight islands’ potential to develop sustainably, by hosting integrated solutions that maximize synergies between key infrastructures, i.e. energy, transport, waste, and water. The knowledge produced on optimal resource and infrastructure management can then be transferred to mountainous, rural and generally geographically isolated areas but also scaled-up in cities, helping Europe become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy.

Over 200 European islands and their networks support the Smart Islands Initiative. The Initiative was launched during the 1st Smart Islands Forum, organized by AEGEA and DAFNI in Athens in June 2016, with the participation of over 40 EU island representatives and was officially presented during the “Smart Islands – Creating New Pathways for EU islands” event that took place in March 2017 in the European Parliament with the support of 12 MEPs.

During the Brussels event, 36 island representatives from 15 countries with islands signed the Smart Islands Declaration, cornerstone document of the Smart Islands Initiative.

The official signing ceremony was launched by Director-General for Energy Dominique Ristori, a long supporter of islands in Europe, while over 100 EU stakeholders joined the event.

MORE: www.smartislandsinitiative.eu  [English, Greek]

CONTACT: infosmartislandsinitiative [dot] eu (info[at]smartislandsinitiative[dot]eu)