Recommendation for the Geodynamics Institute

Recommendation for the Geodynamics Institute

Maintaining and upgrading the earthquake network, was seen by the review team as a major task for the institute since Greece is the most earthquake prone areas in Europe. The upgrade should include increasing the density of the network as well as improving the threshold for detection from 4 to 2 to be in line with network in other European countries, which the Greece network will be a part of. Further development of the network is an important part of the strategy plan of the institute for the next 3 years.

Although deployment of Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) is important for the network, it is considered by the review group a task that should be done in collaboration with the Marine Research Centre.

Strengthening the network activity will have two purposes: Firstly it will provide better warning to the security and safety of the people of Greece, and secondly it will provide data for research to understand earthquake generation processes. The activities will also include seismic hazard studies and estimates. These are important activities that need further funding.

The development in research has been promising with marked increase in publications in high quality journals during the last period

Will strengthen the European Earthquake Network and improve Greece' participation in international research and monitoring work

The institute provides services that are important for the nation

The institute has an excellent record in dissemination of results and knowledge to the public

As part of the strengthening of the network it should be established as a national institute with responsibility for the monitoring of seismicity in Greece. Such activity is essential for the national network to be efficiently built up. The activity should be coordinated through the Center Director that should play a more active role in the dissemination of results to the policymakers and to the public.

Suggested funding for network improvement: 150 kEuro

Recommendation for the Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development

The institute has activities in different areas of vital interest to Greece. The research is well funded from a societal point of view, and deals with a number of interesting scientific issues. However, it was the review panels view that it would have been an advantage if research were focused on a fewer topics. This would lead to obtain a critical mass in manpower in actual research areas, and also improve the excelency of the research at the institute, since there is potential for improving the quality of research. The review panel suggested four priority areas, which should form the nuclei of future activities:

Climate change research

Research on air pollution and air quality

Research related to energy planning

Hydrological application

A common feature with these four areas is that they all have very high societal relevance. Hydrological application could have some overlap with activities at Institute of inland waters as well as with the meteorological services. This links should be explored.

The recommended activities for support is Climate change research and research on air pollution and air quality.

The Mediterranean is an area, which is expected to he particularly vulnerable to environmental changes. Climate changes could lead to significant changes through increasing temperatures and changes in the water cycle. Pollution is already a significant problem not only in cities like Athens, but on a regional level in the Mediterranean area. Future changes linked to climate changes and enhanced emissions of pollutants could pose a threat to the society. It is interesting to note that it is expected to be clear links between the two problems in the future, which would require a common approach to study and solve the problems.

Both areas have shown promising research development during the last few years and have the potential for delivering high quality research results. A new Atmospheric chemistry laboratory has been established, and large scale modeling for both climate related and air pollution type modeling is initiated.

A strong focus on the scientific activity is important. Changes in the Mediterranean area related to environmental changes have characteristics of large national interests in the region. Studies performed by the institute could give important contributions to the international research community.

Research on climate change and pollution is important as a basis for recommendations to policy makers. With an active research agenda, the institute will be in a good position to provide such information. This is a task of high national interest and should be coordinated through the director of the center.

Suggested funding for climate modeling studies: 200 kEuro.

Recommendation for the center

The review panel noted that there is a need for better coordination and strategy planning for the institutes. This should be improved with a stronger involvement of the center director in the planning process and coordination of the activities. Furthermore, information of activities of particular interest for the policy makers and the public, like scientific results of importance for international treaties should be coordinated through the director of the center. Likewise, the contact to the academic community to improve scientific collaboration should be the responsibility of the center director.

Scientific activities of particular relevance to the center should be the responsibility of the director. The example here is the unique meteorological dataset dating back to 1860, which should be made available for scientific studies.

Suggested funding for preparation of historic climate data: 75 kEuro

Additional structural comments on the NOA institutes on environmental research and on Geodynamics

Suggested area for additional funding for the Geodynamics Institute were on strengthening and upgrading the earthquake network. However, considering the importance of the Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) and the high level of activities at the Marine Research Centre it should be considered to move the responsibility for the OBS to this institute. This could secure a better planning and deployment of results considering the high costs of the OBS.

At the Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IERSD) coordination and strategical planning is an issue. This is particularly important for the air pollution/air quality and climate/climate impact studies. Firstly, there are large international activities in these research areas, in particular in the area of climate and climate impact studies. This calls for international collaboration and for presentation of scientific results that can compete on an international level. It is therefore important that climate research activities are well coordinated within the institute. Secondly, there are large public and policy maker interest in the results these studies. A good strategy for dissemination of results is needed, which should be the responsibilities of the institute and center leaders. Considering the large societal impact climate and policy related studies could have, more emphasis should be given to published results from such studies in high quality international journals.

PROFESSOR IVAR S.A. ISAKSEN

9th of October 2005

INSTITUTE OF INLAND WATERS

The sound management of Greece’s inland waters is vital for human health, sustainable economic development and environmental quality, including biodiversity. The development of good ecological status of water bodies, based on biological as well as other criteria, is a primary goal of European policy embodied within the new Water Framework Directive (WFD).There are also many international obligations relevant to inland waters, such as the Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biodiversity.

Yet Europe – wide, there has been a progressive decline in research capacity within the field of freshwater biology although the expertise in more integrated scientific approaches to water resource management has increased. This puts at risk the ability to identify species and provide the essential training to the new generation of scientists.

The work of the institute is therefore highly significant for Greece’s participation in Europe as well as maintaining fundamental research skills and knowledge about freshwater ecosystems.

The Institute’s researchers are not international leaders in freshwater science but they are highly competent, enthusiastic and can work collaboratively. Flexible working results in part from the small size of the team and the inevitable difficulties of having to spread the range of expertise too thinly across numerous and different activities to meet the demands of contract (mainly EC) funding. Notwithstanding the level of international reputation , the area of activity is of the utmost importance to Greece because of the urgent needs to meet the implementation requirements of the WFD as well as international obligations.

It is difficult to separate out individuals in any analysis of scientific excellence because of the multi-authored nature of virtually all significant refereed publications. However the work on assessment ecological quality in Greek freshwaters is particularly important not only for Greece but also Europe in the context of the WFD. The ability to discover and identify new fish species is also a vitally important element of the institute’s work. Whilst output in referred journals is relatively modest, the profile of the institute is strong though very active conference participation and in an wide range of the publications they have also produced a range of useful public awareness and educational outputs. The institute has been very successful in securing EC funding but this means also that the scope of their research activities is somewhat constraint by the call for proposals and the specification of international partnerships.

The outputs of the institute are assessed generally against the three areas of activity defined in the business plan.

Ecological quality assessments

The team has made some progress in development of preliminary river typologies, characterization of reference conditions for several river types and pilot-scale classifications on the ecological status of rivers. All of this work is highly relevant to the obligations to implement the WFD to Greece. There is still much to be done in relation to the definition and classification of all water bodies and including lakes and wetlands in the country. This will require both fundamental and applied freshwater research together with enhanced collaboration with the team in the Institute of Oceanography working on the transitional and coastal waters in the context of WFD. Greece is far behind the state of the art elsewhere in Europe and urgent investment is required to capitalize on the preparatory work carried out so far in the Institute for Inland Waters

Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Restoration

There has been significant achievement in the identification of new fish species in Greece, the continued development of knowledge about conservation status and habitat/management requirements. This work is of particular significance in meeting the requirement of the Habitats Directive, the Bern Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The team has continued to assemble an important data base and have been involved in the formulation of management plans. This knowledge can provide an essential ingredient in the future integrated management of river basins.

Integrated river basin management

The WFD is applied at the river basin scale and implementation of an integrated methodology is of paramount importance. This is often referred to as an “ecosystem-based” or simply the “ecosystem approach” (sensu Convention on Biological Diversity). The research group has started to explore how this might be achieved in Greece but has been constrained by limited expertise in important aspects of this work e.g. integrated modelling approaches and decision support tool development specialists. Emphasis in hydro-meteorology and erosion / pollution is far too restrictive in coverage of this topic. There has been a recent strengthening in this area but further expansion is required if the Institute is to become a serious contributor to the development of integrated river basin management in either Greece or elsewhere in the Mediterranean.

Unparalleled opportunities exist for the Institute to contribute to both the national as well as the wider regional economy of the Mediterranean basin. The successful implementation of the WFD and realization of its objectives will underpin sustainable water use and contribute to sustainable economic growth as well as quality of life and environmental maintenance. The work of the Institute is an effective element of the knowledge base necessary to achieve implementation of the WFD. Yet there seems to be very little appreciation in government of the urgent need and importance of the work of the Institute and the specific actions required to deliver the WFD obligations. The threats arising from not promoting the tasks necessary to implement the WFD will include continued unsustainable use of water resources, degradation of water quality, loss of biodiversity, decline in tourism opportunities and income together with the possibility of fines arising from failures of compliance.

The work on conservation and management of species continues to be an essential contribution to the national regional and global biodiversity agenda. As European funding switches progressively from agricultural support to the maintenance and restoration of environmental quality the Institute is well placed to benefit from greater investment in its areas of expertise. CAP reform may enhance considerably these opportunities. The threat is that better funded and stronger research Institutes in the Mediterranean region and elsewhere in Europe will out compete for available resources.

The environment and the provision of safe and sufficient water are vital elements of the Greek economy. Without sustained investment in the research effort to support the optimum management of water resources there will be inevitable adverse consequences for economic productivity as well as the quality of human life, biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

There are number of operational priorities essential to maintain the vitality of the institute. These will require the allocation of sufficient resources to

1. Equip the fish laboratory to an international standard
2. Enable field work necessary to adequately support implementation of the WFD
3. Accelerate the appointment of a new director and the filling of the vacant positions to assist in the strategic development of the institute and the acquisition of critical mass.These positions provide an opportunity to inject younger talented researchers in to the present more top-heavy profile.
4. Stimulate more active collaboration between the work of institute, that of the institute of Oceanography and groups elsewhere in Europe especially in relation to modelling and development of practical toolkits (e.g. decision support systems) to help deliver WFD objectives.
5. Facilitate closer interaction with the competent authorities in Greece for the WFD and relevant International Conventions.

PROFESSOR EDWARD MALTBY

OVERALL STRUCTURAL ISSUES

The institute’s current structure has insufficient capacity or expertise to cover more than a few aspects of inland waters research. Rather than spread itself too thinly the strategy should be to focus on its real strengths and avoid developing initiatives which cannot be funded adequately or should be addressed collaboratively.

There are clear strengths in supporting the technical requirements of the WFD and International Conventions. It is recommended that it should become a clearly identifiable focus of the institute’s mission. The Institute should strive to become the scientific/technical centre of excellence in Greece to support the WFD. This will require stronger governmental engagement and especially closer collaboration with the competent departments responsible for the Directive and other water related policy instruments.

The Institute’s research agenda, by targeting the requirements of the WFD, would further ensure coherence of the activities of individual researchers. It would promote collaboration with other disciplines outside the Institute, where this was necessary, rather than separating thematic divisions where in fact there is considerable overlap of activity.

Fundamental fish biodiversity research can still be a key element and this can also contribute to integrated catchment management. But particularly in the latter case there needs to be investment in or collaboration with a far greater human resource for this to be an effective research activity. This might be a basis for strong collaboration with the Institute of Oceanography, universities and other organizations.

There is a need to ensure the recruitment of younger, active researchers to improve the age structure of Institute and maintain the momentum of priority projects and rapid appointment of the director is essential.

Operational recommendations:

1. Financial support to underpin the current Institute profile and fill vacant positions.
2. Further funding to enable expansion to accelerate the scientific research necessary to implement the WFD in Greece (and other international obligations).
3. Development of a clear strategic plan refocusing the mission of the Institute consistent with the outcomes of the review.

PROFESSOR EDWARD MALTBY

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research

Institute of Marine Biological Resources

Institute of Marine Biology and Genetics

PHASE 2

ATHENS 8th-9th OCTOBER
OUTPUT FROM PHASE 1

In strict order of priority related to scientific quality and potential impact we believe the following projects are worthy of funding:-

1. Comparative genomics as a bridge between (QTL) and candidate gene approach in gilthead seabream.
2. Reproduction and gamete quality
3. Ecosystem effects in fisheries
4. Genomic approaches to environmental stress in fish
5. Excellence in marine biodiversity
6. Automation of aquaculture production processes
7. Underwater biotechnological park in Gournes, Crete.

In terms of internationally recognised science (quality of publications, research income, international recognition) this is found within the research groups based in Gournes Crete within the Institute of Marine Biology and Genetics and the Institute of Aquaculture. The panel came up with a list of high priority funding projects based on excellence as outlined above.

These projects fall into the Institutes as outlined:-