By Polyxeni Nicolopoulou-Stamati
Emeritus Professor of Environmental Pathological Anatomy, UoA Secretary of BOD, Mariolopoulos-Kananginis Foundation for Environmental Sciences Chairperson of ENSSER
It is a fact that today, more than ever, our planet is experiencing dramatic changes like the ones that not only we but also other countries of the Mediterranean have experienced recently. We are living through a series of crises, the so-called «Permacrisis». It began as a financial crisis, it was succeeded by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, culminating in the extreme weather events of climate change.
The ever-accelerating climate change did not come about alone. It has affected Biodiversity with the extinction of species, it has caused atmospheric pollution as well as water and soil pollution. It has caused serious problems in agriculture and health. Massive fires, water scarcity and deforestation, as well as the nuclear threat, have fueled the concern and interest of the global community, but is this enough? It seems that while the information about what is happening is there, it has unfortunately proven to be insufficient for the timely response to the catastrophic consequences. It is plainly obvious that not only the knowledge and understanding of these phenomena is required, but also the development of a strategy that will be based on interdisciplinary cooperation in order to achieve their effective management.
