SUBJECT: How can we integrate our knowledge into new technologies, innovative plans for local development and biodiversity conservation?
AUTHOR: Konstantinos Hatzidakis, Member of the European Parliament
DATE: 24th April 2003

KEYWORDS: Development, environment, tourism, sustainable development, structural and cohesion funds.

SUMMARY: There is an increasing move towards the promotion of environmental protection for increased development. The author illustrates this point by looking at local development, eco-tourism, the Structural Funds programmes and Cohesion Fund projects. He also emphasizes the need for a radical change in mentality regarding the real value of natural resources conservation, especially in Southern European states.


In the past, it was widely believed that development could be achieved only at the expense of the environment, leading to the over-exploitation of natural resources, atmospheric and marine pollution, destruction of the environment by waste... However, this theory is long played out. The notion has been steadily gaining ground that development and environment are not necessarily incompatible, but they may exist in harmony and complement each other, so that the promotion of one benefits the other and vice-versa.

Hence, it is true to suggest that promoting measures of environmental protection can further advance development. The more we try to preserve biotic resources and enhance environmental conditions, the more sure we can be that development will follow suit. This is particularly evident with regard to local development, and it can be illustrated in many ways.

Tourism constitutes a prime example in this respect. Since nobody would wish to go swimming in a polluted beach, for instance, it has become a major concern for local communities to keep their beaches clean and environmentally inviting. From another perspective, the rapid and spontaneous development of tourism, which is meant to boost local development by ensuring an adequate tourist infrastructure, can very easily lead to the opposite effect: all the more tourists appeal for "quality" tourism, which can be excluded on those cases. This trend is also reflected in what is known as eco- tourism, a rapidly expanding sector. The conservation of natural environment is the means to advance this eco-tourism, which implies further local development.

Moreover, a region with proper environmental conditions is certainly more attractive to investors than one with a damaged environment. Similarly, over-exploitation as well as degradation of the natural resource base can have severe consequences not just for the environment but for any economic activity in general, and investments in particular. Clearly, a good implementation of sound environmental programs improves its development prospects.

This idea of sustainable development has been incorporated in the EU's cohesion policy. The implementation of all Structural Fund programmes and Cohesion Fund projects should now be consistent with sustainable development and Community environmental rules. The notion of the "greening" of structural funds implies that the respect for natural environment is a prerequisite for the elaboration of all programming documents and the implementation of relevant projects. The Cohesion Fund itself finances actions in the transport infrastructures and environmental sectors at a ration of 50-50. There is, thus, tangible proof that the EU has positively understood the environment and development as harmonised objectives, and works actively to assure these goals. Still, there is great room for progress.

Finally, there should be a radical change in mentality as regards the real value of natural resources conservation. Southern European states, in particular, should realise the need to primarily allocate funds to environmental projects. In this sense, a sound use of the structural funds constitutes a unique opportunity for those countries, as it will soon be the case for the newcomers to the EU. The view should rightfully prevail that biotic resources can be a major source of development.

A contribution by:

Konstantinos Hatzidakis
Member of the European Parliament
Karneadou 38
GR-106 76, ATHINA
Greece