Sir David Attenborough, the legendary natural historian and voice of the natural world for nearly 80 years, marked his 99th birthday on May 8 with a message that carries particular urgency for Greece: protect the sea, and the sea will, in turn, protect us.

“After almost 100 years on the planet, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”

The film, a stark yet hopeful exploration of the world’s oceans , underscores the critical role marine ecosystems play in climate stability, food security, and planetary health. And it carries a message especially relevant for Greece , a country defined by the sea, yet one where ocean literacy remains low and environmental priorities often clash with economic pressures.

Attenborough, who first spotlighted Greece’s natural heritage in his 1987 series The First Eden , now turns the spotlight back with an implicit challenge: will Greece answer the call to protect its marine legacy?

With a maritime border of nearly 13,700 km and over 3,000 islands, Greece’s identity, culture, and economy are inseparable from the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Yet despite widespread public concern about climate change, urgent environmental action often takes a back seat to more immediate concerns — from geopolitical tensions to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Among the most contentious issues is the government’s continued support for fossil fuel exploration, particularly LNG projects. Environmental groups warn these plans threaten marine biodiversity and are at odds with EU climate targets. Greece’s booming shipping industry, a cornerstone of the economy, also remains a significant source of marine pollution. The government’s plans to deregulate mining this summer could pose further risks to coastal ecosystems.

Still, signs of hope are emerging.

On May 8, the Greek Parliament ratified the landmark International Treaty on the High Seas, a global effort to protect waters beyond national jurisdictions. And just last month, following years of delays, Greece submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plans to the EU — a step aimed at coordinating sustainable activities such as fishing, aquaculture, and renewable energy in its coastal zones.

At the 2024 Our Ocean conference in Athens, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Greece’s intention to expand marine protected areas (MPAs) to cover 30% of Greek waters by 2030 and pledged a ban on destructive bottom trawling in national marine parks — a long-standing demand from conservationists.

Grassroots initiatives also offer glimmers of optimism. In Amorgos, local fishers have voluntarily created no-catch zones to restore depleted stocks. Meanwhile, Greece’s iconic loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta , are beginning to rebound thanks to sustained protection efforts.

“If we just let nature take its course, the sea will save itself.”

As Greece stands at a crossroads, Attenborough’s voice — calm, wise, and urgent — reminds us that preserving our marine ecosystems is not just an environmental imperative but a moral one. For a nation surrounded by blue, the path forward is clear: act boldly, act now, and let the sea recover.

Happy 99th birthday, Sir David Attenborough. Your call to protect the oceans resonates deeply — from the shores of the Galápagos to the islands of Greece.