Athens Metropolitan Area Research Articles

Socio-Spatial Inequalities, and Local Struggles for the Right to the City and to Nature—Cases of Urban Green Parks in Athens

In this paper we hypothesize that the practices that prevailed during the pandemic period in relation to the right to parks were related to traditional urban discriminatory policies that need to be changed. We also argue that, in some cases, the residents themselves treated the parks as common living spaces by protecting them from neoliberal grabbing policies that deprive residents of greenery and infringe on the right to the city and to nature. With this in mind, we proceeded with research on the city of Athens. We investigated two urban green parks, the first was “Lofos Philopappou”, which is one of the most important parks in the city, as it is one of the largest green spaces in the city center and includes some of the most important ancient monuments. The second park was “Antonis Tritsis”, which is the largest park in Athens Metropolitan Area and one of the few high green spaces in the western suburbs. In the framework of this study, we investigated the attitudes and the actions of visitors and groups regarding these parks, the urban social movements, and local struggles and initiatives that are active in the public green parks, together with participation through the commons. We also investigated management policies and attempts to privatize them. The research methods that were used were participant observation in the studied parks, semi-structured interviews with people or groups that used the public urban green parks on a regular basis, noting the narratives they produced, and questionnaires given to visitors who actively used the urban parks. In conclusion, policies implemented within public parks were found to prevent the integration of public green spaces in the daily lives of residents and the active participation of residents in decisions concerning the green extensions of their neighborhoods. In this way, a part of society is deprived of the ability to maintain continuous contact with nature and green parks.

Separating School Principal's Administrative and Pedagogical Tasks: Views of the Greek Teachers

The aim of this study was to investigate the views of 100 primary school teachers regarding the proposal of assigning two principals in Greek primary schools, one responsible for managerial duties and one to assume the pedagogical responsibilities. Teachers from the metropolitan area of Athens completed an online self-report questionnaire between February and March 2021. The questionnaire was constructed by the researchers for the needs of the present study based on theory and research on the field. The results showed that there is a positive attitude toward the notion that two principals would be better than one. However, most participants were apprehensive of the possible professionalization of the principal’s role. This probably indicates that the Greek educational system is not ready to accept this proposal. Educational policy leaders and academic program planners of higher education institutions could consider the findings of this study when designing educational programs aiming to prepare adequately future school principals.

Understanding user perception and feelings for autonomous mobility on demand in the COVID-19 pandemic era

New mobility-on-demand services together with the emerging technology of autonomous vehicles (AV) aim to revolutionize urban transportation systems, by introducing autonomous driving and sophisticated sharing and routing schemes for efficiently serving individual’s needs and requirements. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted travel patterns due to the emerging trends of social distancing and teleworking. In this paper, we aim at investigating users’ perception on autonomous vehicles, mobility on demand schemes as well as on the future transportation landscape using data collected through a questionnaire survey in the Metropolitan Area of Athens, Greece conducted after the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. First, a statistical analysis of the responses is performed and, then, a clustering approach is followed to identify user profiles based on daily mobility patterns and attitudes towards autonomous vehicles. Subsequently, the identified profiles are exploited in the development of a Bayesian Network to reveal interrelations between user profiling, attitudes and perceptions for future mobility services. Regarding the acceptance of Autonomous Mobility on Demand (AMoD) services, as well as travelers’ level of happiness concerning future scenarios of urban transportation, results have shown that the majority of travelers in Athens will be more than happy in the case where the entire transportation system is served with AMoD services.

Development of a Protocol for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Coastal Zone: Case Study and Preliminary Results in a Coastal Industrial Area in the Eastern Mediterranean

During the last decade, growing demand has prevailed for environmental protection and the application of sustainability principles toward the coastal environment. As the coastal zone constitutes one of the first recipients of the impacts of climate change due to the rise in sea level, integrated coastal zone management arises as a significant tool for the study of vulnerable coastal ecosystems. In combination with ICZM, the use of indicators and ecosystem services analysis couples all of the information, leading to an integrated approach and opportunities for a sustainable blue economy in coastal ecosystems. The aim of the present study is to form a protocol for a sustainable blue economy in the coastal zone, which will investigate and define the current capacity and the boundaries of a coastal ecosystem with specific characteristics of industrial activity, cultural heritage, and a protected natural environment. The case study for this research is the Gulf of Elefsis, a special sea basin in the eastern Mediterranean, located a short distance from the Athens metropolitan area. The Gulf of Elefsis is characterized by a developed coastal zone, which includes intense industrial activity, the ancient historical sights of Elefsis, the environmentally protected wetland of lake Koumoundourou, the town of Elefsis, a trade port, and growing shipbuilding activity.

Quality of Life and Satisfaction from Career and Work-Life Integration of Greek Dentists before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Quality of life (QoL) of dental professionals is a basic parameter of the quality of dental services (QS), a fact well-documented before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries. This study is a comprehensive, cross-sectional survey aimed to explore possible differences in satisfaction from career and work-life integration, as well as QoL in a sample of Greek dentists during the second lockdown in March 2021. Methods: 804 dentists from the vast metropolitan area of Athens and Piraeus selectively responded by completing a self-reported questionnaire based on: the Copenhagen Questionnaire (CQ) for assessing work stress; the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS) for evaluating personal accomplishment; and the Quality-of-Life work scale (ProQOL-CSF). Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression. Results: QoL and career satisfaction were significantly diminished during the pandemic. Career satisfaction despite the pandemic was overall influenced in tandem by age (b = 0.427, p = 0.001), marital status (b = 0.276, p = 0.021), and inversely by years of practice (b = −0.330, p = 0.007) and income (b = −0.221, p = 0.015). Satisfaction from the work–life integration was influenced before the pandemic by marital status (b = 0.255 p = 0.013), years of practice (b = −0.371, p = 0.0001), while gender, years of practice, age, higher education, and income played a significant role during the pandemic. QoL was impacted before pandemic by age (b = −1.007, p = 0.001), number of children (b = −1.704, p = 0.018), and higher degree (b = −1.143, p = 0.001), while during the pandemic by gender (b = −0.582, p = 0.002), number of children (b = 0.469, p = 0.037), higher degree (b = 0.279, p = 0.009), and years of practice (b = −0.523, p = 0.0001). Males were more prone to low QoL, and dissatisfaction with career and work–life integration, during the pandemic. Income is a predictor of career satisfaction despite the pandemic. Personal resources through deep human relationships, higher education, beliefs, and values can offer a resilience shield against professional difficulties in periods of unexpected stressful events.

Power system static and dynamic security studies for the 1st phase of Crete Island Interconnection

The island of Crete is currently served by an autonomous electrical system being fed by oil-fired (Heavy fuel or light Diesel oil) thermal power plants and renewables (wind and PVs). The peak load and annual electric energy consumption are approximately 600 MW and 3 TWh respectively; wind and photovoltaic parks contribute approximately 20% of the electricity needs of the island. Due to the expensive fuel used, the Cretan power system has very high electric energy generation cost compared to the Greek mainland. On the other side the limited size of the system poses severe limitations to the penetration of renewable energy sources, not allowing to further exploit the high wind and solar potential of the island. According to the Ten Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) of the Greek TSO (Independent Power Transmission Operator S.A. IPTO S.A.), the interconnection of Crete to the mainland Transmission System of Greece will be realized through two links: A 150 kV HVAC link between the Peloponnese and the Crete (Phase I) and a HVDC link connecting the metropolitan area of Athens with Crete (Phase II). The total length of submarine and underground cable of the HVAC link will be approximately 174km; it is at the limits of the AC technology and the longest and deepest worldwide at 150 kV level. A number of studies have been conducted by a joint group of IPTO and Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) for the design of this interconnection. This paper presents briefly the power system static and dynamic studies conducted for the design of the AC link and its operation. Firstly, the paper presents the main results of the static security study regarding the calculation of the maximum power transfer capability of the link and the selection of the reactive power compensation scheme of the cable. Results from dynamic security analysis studies are also presented. The small-signal stability analysis concludes that a new (intra-area) electromechanical oscillation is introduced to the National System after the interconnection. The damping of the electromechanical oscillations is sufficient; however the operation of power system stabilizers at power plants located both at the mainland and at Crete power system can increase significantly the damping of important oscillation modes. Finally with respect to the risk of loss of synchronism after a significant disturbance in the system of Crete, such as a three-phase fault (“transient stability”)- enough safety margin is estimated by means of Critical Clearing Time calculations.

Transit Quality of Service Assessment Using Smart Data

In this paper we assess the transit quality of service (QoS) from a user’s standpoint, using smart data. A number of bus lines with different characteristics, operating in the Metropolitan Area of Athens, were chosen as a case study. The data used were gathered by an Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) system. APC technologies provide exact temporalized passenger counting along the line for each service, thus assisting to better understand causalities of delays and avoid operational problems. By employing archived APC data from buses running on crosstown routes between 15 January 2019 and 15 April 2019 we conducted a statistical analysis to explore occupancies and assess QoS, including under a social distancing scenario. The passenger distribution along the stops, the bus’s occupancy level, the stops that are maximum occupancy points and their rate of occurrence and, lastly, the passenger’s average trip length during the day and the week are examined.

Identification of Rainfall Thresholds Likely to Trigger Flood Damages across a Mediterranean Region, Based on Insurance Data and Rainfall Observations

Flood-producing rainfall amounts have a significant cumulative economic impact. Despite the advance in flood risk mitigation measures, the cost of rehabilitation and compensation of citizens by the state and insurance companies is increasing worldwide. A continuing challenge is the flood risk assessment based on reliable hazard and impact measures. The present study addresses this challenge by identifying rainfall thresholds likely to trigger economic losses due to flood damages to properties across the Athens Metropolitan Area of Greece. The analysis uses eight-year rainfall observations from 66 meteorological stations and high spatial resolution insurance claims on the postal code segmentation. Threshold selection techniques were applied based on the ROC curves widely used to assess the performance of binary response models. The model evaluates the probability of flood damages in terms of insurance claims in this case. Thresholds of 24-h rainfall were identified at the municipal level, as municipalities are the first administration level where decision making to address the local risks for the citizens is needed. The rainfall thresholds were further classified to estimate and map the local risk of flood damages. Practical implications regarding the applicability of the detected thresholds in early-warning systems are also discussed.

Vertical Distribution and Chemical Fractionation of Heavy Metals in Dated Sediment Cores from the Saronikos Gulf, Greece

The Saronikos Gulf is under a lot of anthropogenic pressure, such as the urban expansion of the metropolitan area of Athens, the port of Piraeus and marinas, industrial activities, and tourism. Heavy metal pollution has been a major environmental problem in the area for many decades. Sedimentary cores have proven to be an invaluable indicator of heavy metal pollution, as they can reveal not only the current metal inputs but also the evolution of pollution over time, and with the appropriate geochemical analyses, they can provide information on the potential toxicity of metals. In this study, the temporal evolution and the chemical speciation of eleven elements were examined in sediment cores from Elefsis Bay and the Inner Saronikos Gulf, with an emphasis on the emerging environmental hazards (V and Ag). The results showed extensive pollution of the sediments by Ni, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, and Pb from the 1910s and 1960s in Eastern and Western Elefsis Bay, respectively. A significant decrease of the sediment enrichment in V, Ni, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Ag since 2000 was observed in the part of the Inner Saronikos Gulf that is mainly influenced by the WWTP of Athens. However, a toxicity assessment using the metal contents of the surface sediments showed that most of the trace elements studied still pose a moderate to high risk of toxicity to benthic ecosystems. The present study highlighted the urgent need for focused research and the management of trace element inputs, particularly Ag in the Inner Saronikos Gulf, where severe sediment modification was evident.

Quality of plant-based diets in relation to 10-year cardiovascular disease risk: the ATTICA cohort study.

We prospectively evaluated the association between quality of plant-based diets and 10-year first fatal/non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence. ATTICA study was conducted in the greater metropolitan Athens area, Greece, during 2001-2002 studying men and women (aged > 18 years old) free of CVD at baseline. Follow-up CVD assessment (2011-2012) was achieved in n = 2,020 participants (n = 317 cases). Dietary assessment was based on a validated semi-quantitative paper-based food frequency questionnaire. Overall, healthful, and unhealthful plant-based dietary indices (PDI, hPDI and uPDI) were calculated through a standard published procedure. The association between plant-based indices and CVD outcome has been evaluated via Cox regression analysis. The CVD event rate was 15.7% (n = 317) with a median follow-up time of 8.41 years. The highest (3rd PDI tertile) vs. lowest (1st tertile) adherence to plant-based pattern-irrespective to healthfulness of food products consumed-was inversely associated with CVD (hazard ratio (HR) 0.56; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.14, 2.25) yet the CI was wide. Ranking from 1st to 2nd and 3rd hPDI tertile theCVD event rate was 6.4%, 10.5% and 16.2%, respectively (p = 0.003). Multi-variable adjusted analysis revealed that participants assigned in 2nd and 3rd hPDI tertile had 47% (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.25-1.08) and 68% (HR 0.32; 95% CI 0.16-0.63) lower risk to develop CVD compared with their 1st tertile counterparts. Conversely, a positive association between uPDI and CVD risk was revealed in dose-response analysis (HR(per 5 units increase in uPDI) 1.34; 95% CI 0.95-2.37)). Quality of plant-based diets is important and needs to be considered, as not all plant-source foods have beneficial cardiovascular effects.

Environmental Fate of Trace Elements in Depositional Sediments after Flashflood Events: The Case of Mandra Town in Greece

Flash floods are one of the harshest natural hazards, having a wide range of substantial impacts for human and environmental health in the short-term and long-term. On 15 November 2017, a high-intensity storm caused a catastrophic flash flood event in the town of Mandra, a western, outer suburb of the Athens Metropolitan Area in Greece. In this study, we determine the aqua regia extractable concentrations of trace elements in residual sediments and associated soils after the flash flood and evaluate the fractionation of contaminants in geochemical compartments. Geochemical data are coupled with physicochemical parameter measurements and mineralogy to identify possible factors explaining the variability of trace element concentrations, while a dilute acid extraction is used to monitor changes of the reactive fraction of the trace elements over the term of 1 year following the flood event. Aqua regia concentrations in flood-deposited sediments reached values of 1 mg/kg (Cd), 24 mg/kg (Co), 183 mg/kg (Cr), 599mg/kg (Cu), 1080 mg/kg (Mn), 195 mg/kg (Ni), 122 mg/kg (Pb) and 945 mg/kg (Zn). Multivariate statistical techniques classified the elements according to their natural or anthropogenic origin. Trace elements of geogenic origin (As, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni) dominate in flood deposited material. The cluster of anthropogenic elements (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn,) shows significant correlation with total organic carbon and magnetic susceptibility, while a significant seasonal variation has been observed for total organic carbon, Cd and Mn contents in the deposited sediments. Results allow a better understanding of the distribution of elements in the surface cover during and after catastrophic events in urban areas and provide useful information on the long-term exposure of the residents.

A Cloud-Based Mapping Approach Using Deep Learning and Very-High Spatial Resolution Earth Observation Data to Facilitate the SDG 11.7.1 Indicator Computation

As urbanized areas continue to expand rapidly across all continents, the United Nations adopted in 2015 the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, aimed at shaping a sustainable future for city dwellers. Earth Observation (EO) satellite data can provide at a fine scale, essential urban land use information for computing SDG 11 indicators in order to complement or even replace inaccurate or invalid existing spatial datasets. This study proposes an EO-based approach for extracting large scale information regarding urban open spaces (UOS) and land allocated to streets (LAS) at the city level, for calculating SDG indicator 11.7.1. The research workflow was developed over the Athens metropolitan area in Greece using deep learning classification models for processing PlanetScope and Sentinel-1 imagery, employing freely-available cloud environments offered by Google. The LAS model exhibited satisfactory results while the best experiment performance for mapping UOS, considering both PlanetScope and Sentinel-1 data, yielded high commission errors, however, the cross-validation analysis with the UOS area of OpenStreetMap exhibited a total overlap of 67.38%, suggesting that our workflow is suitable for creating a “potential” UOS layer. The methodology developed herein can serve as a roadmap for the calculation of indicator 11.7.1 through national statistical offices when spatial data are absent or unreliable.

Integrated Ecological Assessment of Heavily Polluted Sedimentary Basin within the Broader Industrialized Area of Thriassion Plain (Western Attica, Greece)

The Thriassion Plain, the Saronikos Gulf and Eleusis Bay, Western Attica in Greece, receive pressures from the enormous industrial activity, as well as the Athens metropolitan area and the Piraeus port. Therefore, it is considered as brownfield in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The multi-component industrial activity has impacted the soil, the groundwater of Thriassion Plain and the coastal marine sediments of the adjacent Eleusis Bay, part of Saronikos Gulf as well as a brackish lagoon, Koumoundourou Lake. The industrial activity is expressed by high contents of metals, and oil products. This study presents the pollution record of selected published papers that indicate the temporal evolution of legislated polluting compounds, supporting researchers to provide solutions and policy makers to focus on the whole spectrum of potential policy alternatives.

A policy tool for island transport cost inequality: Exploration of the application of the Transport Equivalent Threshold on Greek islands

Many islands face accessibility problems that burden both the cost and the time of sea transport. In Greece, with more than 100 inhabited islands, the Transport Equivalent Threshold (TET) was recently introduced to support passengers (subsidizing ticket costs) and businesses (subsidizing transportation costs). The purpose of this study is to explore: (a) the spatial distribution of beneficiaries of TET; (b) the quantities, value and features of the freight transported to and from the islands; (c) to map the geography of the beneficiaries in relation to island size and location. Results reveal the unequal economies of Greek islands, and inter-island competition as well as the high disparities policy tools for businesses have to operate within. Moreover, the importance of radial transport links with the metropolitan area of Athens and the dependence of all islands on imports is highlighted. They also indicate the relative importance of geography in the magnitude and frequency of transport for goods and passengers among the Ionian and Aegean Seas, but also within the different clusters of the Aegean. The TET approach is one of the possible approaches that can and have been used to face transport and travel issues that people and businesses on islands face.

Prevalence of Bullying and its Co-occurrence with Aggression and Mental Health Problems among Greek Adolescents Attending Urban Schools.

Background: Bullying is one widespread violence type that threatens adolescent’s well-being in family, school, and neighborhood. This study aimed to estimate the percentages of the last 12 months bullying behaviors- types among Greek adolescents, and to identify the associations between these behaviors and adolescents’ aggression and mental health- behavioral problems.Study design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: The sample consisted of 1934 adolescents, attending the second grade of 45 randomly selected public and private high schools and senior high schools, of the Greater Athens Metropolitan Area. Bullying involvement was examined by four questions, evaluating the occurrence and type of bullying. The Buss and Perry Questionnaire and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire were administrated in order to estimate adolescents’ aggression and mental health-behavioral problems, respectively. Information about adolescents’ individual and family characteristics was also collected.Results: Overall, 18.4% of participants reported bullying involvement at school, as a victim (11.0%), a bully (5.0%), or both (2.4%), while verbal bullying was the most common type. Compared to uninvolved participants, victims were significantly more likely to report emotional symptoms and peer problems, bullies were more likely to report physical aggression, and bully-victims physical aggression, hostility, and lower prosocial behavior. Conclusions: Approximately one out of five adolescents were involved in bullying in the past year at school, reporting aggressive behaviors, emotional problems, and/or social difficulties. Further longitudinal research would increase understanding of the mechanisms of bullying involvement and may lead to preventative interventions promoting positive peer interactions in schools.

Vertical micro-segregation: is living in disadvantageous lower floors in Athens’ apartment blocks producing negative social effects?

This article estimates the effect of vertical segregation – across floors of apartment buildings – on educational attainment in the metropolitan area of Athens. This context offers an opportunity to evaluate and discuss the complementarity between horizontal segregation (across neighbourhoods) and vertical segregation. Using census microdata, we observe that the share of individuals dropping out of school early is much higher for young residents of disadvantageous lower-floor apartments than for those living in upper floors. This gap remains significant after controlling for all relevant personal, household, and neighbourhood characteristics. This result suggests an effect of vertical segregation on educational outcomes in addition to neighbourhood effects and individuals’ socio-economic status. Moreover, the findings of this article corroborate the claim that the target for public policies to increase social mix is not enough to address inequalities at the local level.

A study of the evolution of the third COVID-19 pandemic wave in the Athens metropolitan area, Greece, through two cross-sectional seroepidemiological surveys: March, June 2021.

We studied the third coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic wave in Athens metropolitan area (3 738 901 inhabitants) through two seroepidemiological surveys. Persons presenting in 12 healthcare facilities across Athens in March and June 2021 were studied (764 and 901, respectively). Immunoglobulin G antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) spike protein were measured by a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. In March the seroprevalence rate was 11.6%, meaning that 435 208 residents of Athens had evidence of immunity. The respective values in June were 55.7% and 2 082 568 residents. The highest seroprevalence rates attributed to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection were recorded in persons <18 years (16.3% in March and 31.6% in June), while immunity was mainly vaccine‐induced in persons 18–64 years and >65 years. Infection‐attributed immunity also increased in older‐age groups. Wide ranges in seroprevalence rates were noted across areas in March and June. The highest seroprevalence rates were recorded in Piraeus (47.2%) and West Attica (37.5%). However, the highest increase (>5 times) occurred in Piraeus and the South Section of Athens, which are among the most densely populated areas in Athens. In both study periods, history of COVID‐19 or febrile episode, and having a cohabitant with COVID‐19 were associated with increased risk for seropositivity among unvaccinated persons (p values <0.001 for all). Residing in Piraeus, the South Section or West Attica was associated with increased risk for seropositivity in June (p values <0.001). Wide heterogeneity in seroprevalence rates was found across areas in Athens, which is mainly attributed to population density. The impact of population mobility and socioeconomic status should be explored.

Social housing policy in the metropolitan area of Athens during the period 1922–2012

AbstractThe aim of this survey is to present the Greek social housing model as a part of the southern European model through an Athenian case-study. Several characteristics of the Greek housing model are unique, and the analysis of the Athenian case provides an example that emphasizes those characteristics. Moreover, this survey intends to contribute to filling the gap in the relevant urban history and geography bibliography and, more specifically, to describe the Greek social housing model and the role of the city of Athens in the planning and distribution of social housing. This survey is based mainly on secondary data (literature review) but also on primary sources.

Attitudes Towards Refugees &amp; Immigrants in Greece: a national-local comparative analysis

Over the past decade, Greece has received a significant number of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers who, due to specific decisions taken at both the EU and the national levels, have been “trapped” in Greece for an indefinite period. Dealing with this situation was, and still is, a hot issue, with state policies remaining focused on reception and control rather than on integration. Moreover, the spatial allocation of refugees in specific places throughout the country raised further debate, as they often provoked reactions (of substantial political costs), given that different localities tend to exhibit different attitudes and views towards refugees and immigrants. Since these perceptions seem to exert a significant effect on the direction of public debate and state policy there have been a number of nationwide surveys that have sought to shed light on them. These studies certainly advance our understanding on how Greeks in totality perceive those issues, but they also suffer from serious limitations regarding the specificities that different localities exhibit. On their grounds, the current works seek to provide a comparative analysis between the results of a nation-wide survey and a locally contacted one, contrasting perceptions between people living in Athens metropolitan area and in three small-medium size cities in central Greece (Trikala, Larisa, and Volos), in order to identify similarities and differences in views between the different spatial scales.

The Use of Geoinformatics in Coastal Atmospheric Transport Phenomena: The Athens Experiment

Coastal environment, an area where abrupt changes occur between land and sea, significantly affects the quality of life of a high portion of the Earth’s population. Therefore, the wide range of phenomena observed in coastal areas need to be assessed reliably regarding both data sets and methods applied. In particular, the study of coastal atmospheric transport phenomena which affect a variety of activities in coastal areas, using modeling techniques, demand accurate estimations of a range of meteorological and climatological variables related to the planetary boundary layer. However, the accuracy of such estimations is not obvious. Geoinformatics is able to fill this gap and provide the framework for the design, processing and implementation of accurate geo-databases. This paper aims to highlight the role of geoinformatics in the context of coastal meteorology and climatology. More precisely, it aims to reveal the effect on the performance of a Mesoscale Meteorological Model when a new scheme regarding the input surface parameters is developed using satellite data and application of Geographical Information Systems. The development of the proposed scheme is described and evaluated using the coastal Metropolitan Area of Athens, Greece as a case study. The results indicate a general improvement in the model performance based on the statistical evaluations of three meteorological parameters (temperature, wind speed and wind direction) using four appropriate indicators. The best performance was observed for temperature, then for wind direction and finally for wind speed. The necessity of the proposed new scheme is further discussed.