"We meet again at a critical moment. The climate is changing and developments remind us of this. This reality gives our discussions a new sense of urgency," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday at the Plenary Session of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Climate Change Convention (COP29).
He emphasised that "Greece is a pioneer in energy transition. Our emissions have decreased by 45% compared to 2005, while the participation of lignite, which clearly covered more than 50% of our electricity generation, has now been reduced to just 6%. Today, we rely on wind and solar energy for almost half of our electricity needs. We insulate homes and create a value chain in carbon sequestration for our industry. Greece is absolutely committed to the energy transition."
On Europe, he said that it is a leader in renewable energy, but still has higher energy prices than anyone else. "We are the only region that imposes a heavy tax on emissions. We are almost alone in defending the rules of free trade."
He underlined that "Europe's share in global emissions is decreasing and in 2023 it accounted for only 6%. We cannot be led to abandon industry. Zero emissions must be part of a wider European strategy, not the other way around."
Mitsotakis added that it was clear that "we need a smart green deal" and cited "four urgent adjustments to get there."
First, Europe and the world need to be more honest about the trade-offs involved in the energy transition. The energy transition will reduce costs in the long run, but this transition will not be painless. It is our responsibility to carefully evaluate these trade-offs, and not hope they will magically disappear.
Second, Europe needs a reboot in terms of the regulatory framework. We spend too much to achieve goals that are subject to limited control and enjoy limited legitimacy. We cannot micromanage this transition.
Third, Europe must recommit itself to the internal energy market. In rhetoric, everyone supports the internal market, but in practice, Europe is often the combination of 27 different strategies.
Across Europe, but also across the world, our citizens are being hit by unprecedented climate-related disasters.
"We need more resources to prepare, to respond in time to save lives and property, and to help people and communities rebuild after a disaster. We cannot focus so much on 2050 and forget about 2024," he noted.
Concluding his speech at the COP29 Plenary, the prime minister emphasised: "I am more committed than ever to the EU Green Deal. Europe must and will remain a world leader in the transition. But we need to be smart and realistic, focused on data and science, with increased flexibility and with a renewed sense of what Europe, united, can achieve."
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