Greece

Greece ranks 28th in this year’s CCPI, dropping four places from the previous year and remaining among the medium performers.

Greece shows a mixed performance across the four main CCPI categories: high in Energy Use, medium in GHG Emissions and Renewable Energy, and low in Climate Policy. Climate Policy, which is lower, is the only one changed from the previous year. Greece generally performed well in the trend indicators, receiving a high in the GHG per capita current trend (indicating continually declining emissions) and the renewable energy and energy use current trend indicators.

Poor ambition in the energy saving and energy efficiency target

In August 2023, Greece presented a draft of its revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which increases the 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target (and the share of renewable power in energy end-use and electricity generation). The CCPI country experts welcome this increased ambition compared with the 2019 NECP. However, they note that while the revised NECP is more ambitious, the ambition of targets for GHG emission reduction, energy efficiency, and renewable energy should be significantly increased, and these are far from sufficient for keeping the temperature rise below 1.5°C, or even 2°C.

The experts point out that the GHG target in the NECP takes into account a significantly higher (double) carbon budget than what Greece is fairly entitled to. They also criticise poor ambition in the energy saving and energy efficiency target, stating that it falls short of the EU’s goal of reducing final energy consumption by 11.7% at the European level by 2030.

NECP provides space for new gas-fired power plants

A national climate law was voted on in 2022. Over a year since the voting, its implementation remains difficult to monitor because of poorly available official information.

A major point of the experts’ criticism is the substantial expansion of gas infrastructure (with plans for gas exploration and drilling and new fossil gas power plants) in response to the energy crisis. This is incompatible with a forward-looking plan for reaching carbon neutrality before 2050 and increases dependence on fossil fuels. The experts highlight that a complete fossil fuel phase-out is not foreseen even in 2050, while the NECP provides space for new gas-fired power plants.

The experts demand an NECP with more ambitious emissions reduction targets and rapid decarbonisation aligned with 1.5°C. Greater energy efficiency and a complete fossil fuel phase-out are also needed. They also emphasise the importance of addressing the non-energy sectors through restoring nature and implementing nature-based solutions.

Key Outcomes

CCPI experts

The following national experts agreed to be mentioned as contributors for this year’s CCPI:

• Alexandros Moulopoulos (WWF Greece)