AUA_Celebration of the World Environment Day by the Sustainable Development Committee of AUA
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2026 CELEBRATION
Agricultural University of Athens Celebrates World Environment Day 2026 with a Two-Day Programme on Climate Action and the Circular Economy organized by the Sustainable Development Committee AUA
On the occasion of World Environment Day 2026, celebrated on Friday, 5 June, the Sustainable Development Committee of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) is organizing a two-day series of events. The programme includes a conference entitled “Climate Action” on Thursday, 4 June, as well as experiential presentations, interactive activities, games, and workshops for students and the general public under the theme “The Circular Economy in Practice” on Friday, 5 June.
The events will take place at the Auditorium and the surrounding area of the AUA Library. The conference will also be available via live streaming at: https://new.diavlos.grnet.gr/el/epresence-conference/8409
EVENT PROGRAMME
Conference: “Climate Action”
Thursday, 4 June 2026
10:00 – 10:30 | Registration and Welcome
10:30 – 11:10 | Opening Session – Welcome Addresses and Remarks by Government Representatives and Local Authorities
• Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens (tbc)
• Spyridon Kintzios, Rector, Agricultural University of Athens
• Georgios Apostolopoulos, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Green Spaces, Municipality of Athens
• Argyris Kaklidis, Green Fund, Department of Planning and Management of the Natural Environment Sector
• Emmanouil Flemetakis, Vice Rector, Agricultural University of Athens
• Chrysi Papadimitriou, Chair, Sustainable Development Committee, Agricultural University of Athens
11:10 – 12:45 | Session I: Climate Action
• Giorgos Konstantinopoulos, Ambassador, EU Climate Pact, DG CLIMA: “EU Climate Pact – Climate Initiatives, Legislation and Civil Society”
• Chrysi Karapanagioti, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras: “Plastic and Microplastic Pollution and Climate Change”
• Athanasios Gelasakis, Director, Institute of One Health and Nutritional Policy (IOHNP), Agricultural University of Athens: “Rationale, Objectives and Expected Benefits of the Institute’s Establishment”
• Margarita Karavasili, Vice President and Board Member, ECOCITY: “Climate-Neutral Cities: Urban Biodiversity and Green Materials”
• Triantafyllia (Rozy) Charitopoulou, Thematic Vice President, HSWMA: “Circular Economy Applications in Urban Ecosystems: Challenges and Prospects”
• Ioannis Charalampopoulos, Laboratory of Meteorology, Agricultural University of Athens: “The Importance of Climate for Humanity and the Environment”
• Dimitrios Dermatas, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens: “The New EU Framework Directive (EU) 2025/2360 on Healthy Soils as a Critical Factor for Sustainability and Addressing the Climate Crisis”
12:45 – 13:15 | Coffee Break
13:15 – 14:10 | Session II: Upcycling and Entrepreneurship – From Theory to Practice
• Markos Malliaris, LMeco Recycling Services: “From Packaging to Creation: The Innovative Recycling Approach of LMeco”
• Vasilis Anagnostou and Nikos Ioannou, Athens School Social Cooperative Enterprise: “Sustainable Forest Management – The Practices of Athens School”
• Konstantinos Liantzas, Piraeus MakerSpace: “Presentation of the Municipality of Piraeus Circular Economy Laboratory – Piraeus MakerSpace”
• Ifigeneia Pappa, IFIGEN Biomaterials: “Biomaterials from Waste: Circular Design for Resilient Agri-Food Systems”
• G. Makridis, Epanekkinisis S.A.: “Social Reuse of Computers through the Social Cooperative Enterprise Epanekkinisis”
14:10 – 14:30 | Discussion and Conclusions
14:30 – 14:45 | Session III: The Legal Framework of Climate Change
• Konstantinos Aravosis, Chair of the Board for Waste Management, Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAAEY): “The Country’s Obligations under International Climate Change Law”
“The Circular Economy in Practice”
Friday, 5 June 2026
09:45 – 12:00 | Experiential Presentations, Interactive Activities, Games and Workshops for Students and Citizens
Participating Organizations:
• Sustainable Development Committee, Agricultural University of Athens
• Special Vocational Education and Training Laboratory (EEEEK) of Agios Dimitrios
• Athens School Social Cooperative Enterprise
• Waste Market
• LMeco Recycling Services
• Epanekkinisis Social Cooperative Enterprise
• EU Climate Pact
• Piraeus MakerSpace
• IFIGEN Biomaterials
Activities will include environmental board games, a woodworking workshop, a Repair Café for electronic devices, a paper recycling workshop, 3D printing demonstrations, creative projects using waste materials, and many more hands-on experiences promoting sustainability and circular economy practices.