‘No’ of Greece in reducing CO2 emissions by 90% by 2040 – calls for additional support from Brussels

To its limits it seems that our country’s climate ambition has reached, judging by what he said on Monday (25.3.2024) to the Secretary General of RIS, Petros Varelidis. During the Environment Ministers meeting, he stressed that Greece is against the new objective proposed by the Commission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040. This is the intermediate objective on the way to 2050 and their complete zeroity based on the ambitious climate policy decided by Brussels and the Member States. In this way Greece became one of the three countries that said “no” to reduce emissions in the first phase together with the Czech Republic and Poland. Greece considers that tackling the effects of climate change should be upgraded and supported more financially than preventing it. Obviously, as our country has experienced the effects of extreme weather events in recent years, it is interested in securing additional resources from Europe to deal with them. At the same time, Mr Varelidis stood by the fact that citizens need better conditions today in the economy, and European industry must also rely on international competition. “Today there is a gap between climate neutrality policies and society’s view of transition, which needs to be bridged. Some believe that climate and transition are for the rich or on the other hand that we undermine the competitiveness of our industry. In some cases this is what we do,” said RIS. At the same time, Greece calls for increased support for the modernisation and development of the electricity network, since it considers that the most promising means of reducing emissions CO2 is RES, energy efficiency, industry-transport electrification and upgrading of buildings. On the contrary, in those cases where there are no benefits in any sector of the economy from the energy transition, compensation will be needed to address its social impact. Through these statements Greece seeks to secure significant exchange in the final agreement. This follows the example of other European countries which have previously held a tough attitude towards the new climate targets to defend their interests.