NEO Brochure - Costa Navarino

The birth of NEO
In 2008, Stockholm University approached
the Greek company TEMES S.A. with a view to
establishing an environmental observatory in
Messinia in the southern Peloponnese. Messinia
was chosen on account of the unique climatic and
geomorphological characteristics of the region,
which make it an ideal location for climate and
environmental research.
Costa Navarino was specifically selected because of
the company’s strong commitment to preserving
the natural environment, as demonstrated by its
implementation of advanced and in many cases
pioneering environmental management practices.
Research fields
1. Atmospheric composition and climate changes
The coastal area of western Messinia lies at a
crossroads of global and regional wind currents,
which makes it an ideal natural laboratory for the
study of changes in atmospheric composition and
climate. In this research area focus will be
on measuring air quality, radiometric and
meteorological parameters as indices of local and
transboundary transport of pollutants and use
the results for improved climate simulations and
predictions.
2. Geology, geomorphology and landscape
changes
2.1. Geology
By studying the metamorphic rocks of the
Peloponnese and the Cyclades, the aim is
to reveal the role of mountain building as
a source of atmospheric carbon and examine how
early stage mountain building influences the
climate.
2.2. Geomorphology
Messinia has a complex and intriguing
geological structure, which poses a series of
geomorphological riddles that our research
project will attempt to solve, while analyzing the
landscape changes that have occurred in Messinia
in the recent 100 000 years, as well as at longer
time perspectives.
3. Present and past climate, water and
environmental changes
3.1. Water research
In this research focus will mainly be on coastal
aquifers, the quantification and management
options for water quantity and quality in coastal
regions, under consideration of increasing tourism
and/or urbanization pressures. The area of Gialova
Lagoon will be used as a case study.
3.2. Dendroclimatology
The annual rings in trees constitute archives
holding a record of the climatic and environmental
conditions that prevailed during their growth.
Timbers recovered from old buildings,
archaeological sites or from geological/biological
sediments collected from all over Greece will be
studied to increase our understanding on climatic
evolution and variability in the Mediterranean
area.