Kythira booked a great success in the fight against the proposed industrial size wind parks on the island. Together with 4 Aegean islands Kythira was nominated by Elliniki Etairia for the most endangered heritage sites in Europe. On 8 April 2021 Europa Nostra – the European voice of civil society committed to cultural and natural heritage – together with its partner, the European Investment Bank Institute, announced that Kythira made it to the final List of 7 Most Endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2021. 

Europa Nostra stated the following:

The islands of Amorgos, Kimolos, Kithira, Sikinos and Tinos share the so-called “Cycladic landscape”, which forms a vital part of Greek and also European identity. This iconic and harmonious landscape is in grave danger due to the proposed programme to install wind turbines on these five islands, often side by side with archaeological sites, some within protected Natura 2000 areas and as a backdrop to traditional villages.

The siting of renewable energy infrastructure in (protected) cultural landscapes is among the potential conflicts between heritage safeguarding and European Green Deal action identified in the recently launched European Cultural Heritage Green Paper “Putting Europe’s shared heritage at the heart of the European Green Deal”. This Paper reflects the firm conviction that, in the case of such tensions, ‘win-win’ scenarios are both desirable and attainable on the basis of a proper consultation process with local communities and heritage experts.

Click here to see the whole text of the announcement.