Senior Manager for Sustainability & Climate Change at Hellenic Growth Fund
Maria Christantoni is Senior Manager for Sustainability & Climate Change at Hellenic Growth Fund, the National Fund of Greece. She holds a PhD in Environmental Economics and has a background in engineering and environmental water management. Her work focuses on advancing the sustainable and climate-resilient transformation of public assets and critical infrastructure, with particular emphasis on ports.
She has contributed to the design and implementation of initiatives integrating climate resilience, ESG considerations and systems innovation into port planning and decision-making, working with European institutions, research organisations, technical experts and portfolio companies. Her work ranges from climate risk and vulnerability assessments and ESG assessment tools to capacity building, systems innovation and decarbonisation initiatives aimed at strengthening the long-term sustainability and resilience of critical infrastructure.
Can you tell us about yourself?
I am based in Greece and currently work at Hellenic Growth Fund – the National Fund of Greece, in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change. My role focuses on integrating ESG principles and climate considerations into public asset management, infrastructure, ports, and investment initiatives. I am particularly interested in how climate knowledge and research can be translated into practical tools and decisions that create tangible environmental and social impact.
Over the past years, I have contributed to the design and implementation of a range of initiatives supporting the sustainable and climate-resilient transition of critical infrastructure, with particular emphasis on Greek ports. These include climate risk and vulnerability assessments, ESG assessment and monitoring tools, systems innovation initiatives, and projects supporting port decarbonisation and the transition towards more sustainable infrastructure.
A key aspect of my work is therefore building partnerships across public authorities, port operators, European institutions, technical and research organisations, and local stakeholders to translate climate knowledge into practical tools, investment priorities and long-term decisions.
Was there a moment that shaped your perception of climate adaptation and what it means for your region?
One experience that significantly shaped how I see climate adaptation was my involvement in the transformation initiative of the Port of Lavrio, a Mediterranean coastal port, implemented by Hellenic Growth Fund in collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC, ATHENA Research Center and a wide range of local and national stakeholders.
Through this initiative, climate adaptation was approached as a place-based and participatory process. The port was not treated simply as an infrastructure asset, but as part of a broader coastal system closely connected to the local community, the marine environment, and regional economic activity.
What made this experience particularly meaningful was the strong emphasis on multi-stakeholder engagement. Public authorities, port operators, researchers, local actors, and citizens were actively involved in co-developing a shared vision for a sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient port.
This experience shaped my understanding of adaptation as something that goes beyond technical interventions. It showed me the importance of bringing together scientific knowledge, institutional perspectives and local experience to develop solutions that respond to the specific needs and characteristics of a place.
How are you contributing to the sustainable and climate-resilient transition of critical infrastructure?
A significant part of my work has focused on developing and supporting initiatives that strengthen the sustainability and climate resilience of critical infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on ports.
One key area has been climate risk assessment and adaptation planning. Through a programme of Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments for the Ports of Patras, Volos and Alexandroupolis, supported by the European Investment Bank, we have worked to identify physical climate risks and vulnerabilities, assess their potential implications and translate these findings into adaptation priorities and investment considerations. The objective is to help infrastructure operators systematically embed resilience into their long-term planning and decision-making.
Port decarbonisation is another important area of our work. We are supporting the development of Onshore Power Supply (OPS), or cold ironing, in Greek ports, enabling vessels to connect to shore-side electricity while at berth and thereby reducing emissions from port operations. This includes our participation in the EU-funded DECOMPRES project, which supports the development of OPS infrastructure and related studies, contributing to the broader decarbonisation and energy transition of ports and the maritime sector.
Capacity building and knowledge sharing are equally important. In collaboration with the European Investment Bank, we have organised dedicated training for Hellenic Growth Fund and its portfolio companies on the climate proofing of infrastructure projects, addressing the European framework and its practical application across different types of infrastructure. We have also delivered ESG and climate-related capacity-building activities for port authorities, helping strengthen their ability to integrate sustainability and resilience considerations into governance, operations and long-term planning.
Systems innovation is another important dimension of this work. Lessons from our collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC and ATHENA Research Center in the Port of Lavrio informed the development of the Guidelines for Systems Innovation for Ports, designed to support the replication of this approach across other Greek ports.
We have also supported innovation and participatory initiatives across the wider port and maritime ecosystem. These include the MENA Maritime Accelerator, engaging start-ups and entrepreneurs in developing innovative responses to sustainability and climate-related challenges, as well as our participation in and support of the Lavrio Climathon, which created a space for local stakeholders and citizens to contribute ideas and perspectives.
Taken together, these initiatives reflect a broader approach to the sustainable and climate-resilient transformation of critical infrastructure — one that combines climate risk assessment, capacity building, systems innovation and stakeholder engagement, translating climate knowledge into practical planning, investment and decision-making.
What does adapting to climate change mean for you?
For me, adapting to climate change means embedding resilience into systems, institutions and decision-making processes, rather than treating adaptation as a reactive or isolated action. It involves anticipating climate risks and integrating them into how public assets, infrastructure, investments and policies are planned, financed and managed over the long term.
Adaptation is therefore both a technical and institutional challenge, requiring robust climate knowledge, effective governance and collaboration across public, private, financial and research actors. Ultimately, climate adaptation is about protecting communities and public value, while enabling sustainable development pathways under changing climate conditions.
In your opinion, how can we advance climate adaptation in the Mediterranean?
Working within this Mediterranean context has shown me that effective climate adaptation cannot be delivered through technical solutions alone. It requires trust, collaboration and continuous dialogue among all those affected, as well as mechanisms that allow scientific knowledge to be translated into locally relevant action.
At the same time, we need to move beyond isolated adaptation projects and towards approaches that systematically embed climate resilience into infrastructure planning, investment and governance. This is particularly important for Mediterranean coastal areas, where critical infrastructure such as ports is closely interconnected with local communities, ecosystems and regional economies.
For me, climate adaptation in the Mediterranean is ultimately about empowering communities and institutions to work together to protect coastal ecosystems, livelihoods and public value in the face of climate change.
How can we further involve young people and local communities in shaping climate adaptation solutions?
Engaging young people and local communities requires creating meaningful participation pathways that go beyond consultation and enable real co-creation.
Through participatory initiatives such as the Lavrio Climathon, I have seen how local citizens can contribute to identifying climate challenges and developing solutions grounded in their lived experience and local context. At the same time, innovation-oriented initiatives such as the MENA Maritime Accelerator can engage young professionals, start-ups and entrepreneurs in developing practical and scalable responses to sustainability and climate-related challenges in the maritime sector.
Combining place-based citizen engagement with innovation ecosystems can help bridge local knowledge with technical expertise, research and entrepreneurship. When young people and local communities are given structured opportunities to contribute — and when their input can inform real projects and decisions — participation becomes a driver of ownership, trust and more effective climate adaptation.
Relevant videos:
Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments for Greek Ports – Hellenic Growth Fund & EIB Advisory
Hellenic Growth Fund & EIB – Climate Resilience of Greek Ports
Climate Proofing of Infrastructure – Capacity-Building Session with the European Investment Bank
Climate Proofing & Climate Resilience – Hellenic Growth Fund LinkedIn post
DECOMPRES – Decarbonising Mediterranean Ports through Onshore Power Supply (OPS)
DECOMPRES Project
Guidelines for Systems Innovation for Ports – Hellenic Growth Fund, EIT Climate-KIC & ATHENA Research Center
Guidelines for Systems Innovation for Ports
MENA Maritime Accelerator – Supporting Innovation for Sustainable Blue Growth
MENA Maritime Accelerator
Lavrio Climathon – Participatory Climate Action
