Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA)

A grassroots, people-centered initiative, Chios Climate Chance begins with understanding the challenges of climate change as a foundation for empowering action and cultivating a mindset for a sustainable future.

The initiative weaves inspiring and positive messages into the daily lives of Chios residents,  not through pressure or repetition, but through gentle, meaningful reminders of the simple actions each person can take to protect the environment.

CCC aspires to become living proof that climate awareness can be embedded in everyday community life, serving as a model for others. Its ultimate vision: to transform residents into Climate Ambassadors — able to “speak” and truly understand climate change.

The CCC initiative embraces the entire Chios community - students, youth, parents, professionals, associations, and the elderly. Its actions focus on the individual, adapting methods and tools to each group’s needs and daily life. In this way, every resident becomes a co-creator and active participant in shaping the initiative.

The project is implemented over a period of two years.

CCC is a pioneering social innovation model, that began on the island of Chios and is designed to adapt to local needs, enabling it to respond to the island’s unique characteristics and conditions. It creates a movement of positive and sustainable engagement, with measurable results.

From the very beginning, the target group - the residents of Chios of all ages and areas of the island - were engaged as co-creators in the design of an original bottom-up awareness campaign. Their voices, concerns, ideas, and suggestions were gathered through surveys, focus groups, and open dialogue. These insights became the foundation for shaping the campaign, its messages, visuals, and communication strategy, even incorporating local expressions. In this way, the campaign truly belongs to the community: it is authentic, relatable, and easy to understand.

The CCC team was present across the island - visiting villages, working hand in hand with key stakeholders, schools, local groups, and volunteers - to integrate climate awareness into everyday life. Climate messages were also shared at local events: beach clean-ups, festivals, cafés, open-air cinemas, cultural associations, buses, radio broadcasts, media channels, and even at Chios City Hall, where the walls were lit up with climate messages. Climate action became part of daily conversations and experiences.

A key pillar of the campaign is the digital toolkit - regularly updated with reliable data, images, videos, ready-to-use activity material, and public speaking tips. This resource gives every resident access to practical tools they can use in their own time and place, empowering them to step up as Climate Ambassadors within their community.

The CCC project is implemented by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – HELMEPA, with co-funding from the “Maria Tsakos” Public Benefit Foundation and the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.

Their contribution goes beyond financial support: by backing the initiative, they actively help empower local communities to address climate change, creating a model of collaboration and social innovation where NGOs, public and private bodies, organizations, and citizens work together for real impact.

The initiative works hand in hand with the local community, forming a participatory network of 23 stakeholders, including the Municipality of Chios, the Chios Chamber of Commerce, the Chios Medical Association, and the Directorate of Primary Education of Chios. These partners go beyond using educational materials: they contribute ideas, take part in activities, and help amplify the reach and impact of climate knowledge.

At the heart of the campaign are the students of TEENS – Tsakos Enhanced Education Nautical Studies and the “Maria’s Home – Education and Culture Campus”, who actively engage in the initiative and have been recognized as Climate Ambassadors. They carry the campaign’s messages into their own communities - family, school, and friends - transforming climate awareness into a shared community mission.

The program is primarily implemented on the island of Chios, with smaller-scale activities on the nearby islands of Oinousses and Psara. Looking ahead, the initiative aspires to extend its impact to other regions, sharing its model of community-driven climate action.

Chios Climate Chance has delivered measurable and lasting results that go far beyond raising awareness, fostering behavior change and deep community engagement:

• A free digital toolkit was created, providing reliable, accessible, and user-friendly resources for all residents.
• Over 8,000 citizens became Climate Ambassadors, gaining both knowledge and practical tools to reduce their environmental footprint and adopt sustainable habits.
• Active participation and training took place in 15 schools and 18 local stakeholders, engaging students, educators, and professionals.
• “Train the trainers” workshops created a multiplier effect, passing knowledge on to subsequent residents.
• 18 beach clean-ups, 1 underwater clean-up, and 1 tree planting initiative were successfully organized and implemented.
• A national-level climate change conference brought together scientists, citizens, and institutions for dialogue and collaborative action.
• A public opinion survey provided valuable insights to inform environmental interventions at both local and national levels.

Through these actions, CCC has turned awareness into an ongoing dialogue and a sustainable way of life, empowering residents to integrate climate action into their everyday decisions and interactions.

As an innovative initiative with tangible results, CCC enhances HELMEPA’s presence and impact at local, national, and international levels. It expands the organization’s social and environmental reach, while opening doors for future collaborations and long-term support.

Key measurable outcomes include:

• A vibrant network of Climate Ambassadors, actively promoting climate awareness within their communities.
• Strong, stable partnerships with 24 local institutions, municipalities, schools, and the University of the Aegean.
• Broad visibility through 30+ social media posts and 100+ media publications at both local and national levels.
• The development of a replicable action model, ready to be implemented in other regions.

Additionally, CCC has received official endorsement from Mediterranean Coast Day, an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP – Priority Actions Programme – Regional Activity Centre), enhancing the initiative’s credibility and international recognition.