Zakynthos is one of Greece’s most popular tourist attractions. Its blue-green waters and idyllic sand lure thousands of visitors from around the words every summer, often more that the beautiful Ionian island can handle, putting it at risk of ecological and economical disaster.
Meanwhile, international drilling tycoons have come into play following the Greek Government’s decision to allocated 17,000 sq klm of Zakynthos to oil companies.
Multinational brands prepare to exploit thousands of kilometres of Zakynthos’ of land.
The World Wide Fund (WWF) has issued a warning to Greece with many activists taking to the streets to protest the dangers from potential effects drilling for oil and gas could lead to.
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Meanwhile, with a third of the GDP of the Ionian islands coming from tourism, the extra pollution drilling facilities could bring is definitely something to consider.
“So, imagine the scenario of a minor or greater oil accident and what does that mean for these islands,” said Demitres Karavellas, the director-general of WWF Greece also stressing the impact drilling could have on the safety and well-being of the loggerhead turtle.
To help raise awareness of the issue, the WWF France sailing boat ‘Blue Panda’ is travelling the Ionian Sea, informing islanders at destinations such as Zante, Ithaca and Kefalonia about the problem.
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