Greece has joined the global "Running Out of Time" relay for climate change that kicked off in Scotland on Friday, represented by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF), Greece's oldest environmental NGO at national level.
The non-stop relay covering 7,767 km will run through 18 countries and involve over 1,000,000 young participants before arriving at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on November 6, ahead of the COP27 meeting on November 6-18.
The relay's starting point was Glasgow, host of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26, 2021). It aims to deliver a message on climate change from the leaders of tomorrow to the leaders of today, organizers The World Relay Ltd said.
Countries the relay will pass through include UK (Scotland, Wales, England), France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt to Sharm el-Sheikh. Along the route, the baton will cross seas, mountain ranges, glaciers, and deserts; visit schools, at risk locations and climate change projects; and be carried by runners, cyclists and sailors.
President of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, Nikos Petrou, said that the relay runners "show by their participation the need to collaborate at all levels so that we may keep alive the hope of a viable planet for us and our children. Time passes by but has not ended yet, and scientists show there are solutions." He called on all to support the effort and "pressure inactive governments, to demand bold and effective measures with strict commitments," leading to education of the public and understanding of the need for a change in behavior and way of life.
Greece, Oct. 24
The relay will arrive in Greece from Albania on October 24, continuing on Greek territory to October 27. Its route on Greek territory will be as follows: Kastoria, Klissoura, Ptolemaida, Akrini, Veria, Trilofo, Katerini, Platamonas, Gonni, Rodia, Larissa, Farsala, Domokos, Lamia, Kammena Vourla, Agios Konstantinos, Skala, Martino, Akrefnio, Aliartos, Thebes, Inofyta, Avlona, Afidnes, Marathon Dam, Marathon path to Athens, Akropolis, and Faliro, from where participants will sail to Cyprus on October 27.
In total, 750 km of the relay will be covered in Greece. The total will be divided into 72 sections, of which 46 km are for runners and 26 km for bicycle riders.
For more information on following the relay and on participating online, www.running-out-of-time.com, which also provides a map following the runners and bikers. Those who want to run or cycle can sign up at https://running-out-of-time.com/route/greece/, while more information is available for the Greek side of events at https://eepf.gr/el/.
School action
Running Out of Time is also organizing an online Global Schools Action Day on November 3 (https://running-out-of-time.com/schools/), as part of its activities around the climate. Teachers can sign up for the free activity, which includes a Global Virtual Relay on November 5, and provides "a range of students of fun activities, and engage with programmes and resources from the world’s leading environmental education organisations." At least 388,085 pupils from 931 schools in 89 countries have signed up.