News
Publish date: November 29, 2009
News
Media were also on hand for the discussion to observe the exchange of opinion toward a realistic but brave new plan to drastically reduce emissions in Greece by 2050.
The discussions are part of an emerging trend of 11th hour forums and announcements that are being convened and made by a variety of nations with just eight days left before COP15 begins in Copenhagen.
The hope in Copenhagen will be to reach political agreements on emissions reductions worldwide in an effort to further the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2013. Many countries are anxious in these final days to put forth sufficiently ambitious, but realistic goals to bring with them to Copenhagen.
The main conclusions of the Athens Bellona discussion, as well as a complete minutes report, were delivered to Greece’s deputy minister of environment, energy and climate change, Yannis Maniatis on the following day during a meeting with representatives of the Bellona.
The meeting with Maniatis cemented the role of Bellona as a “communication bridge between all stakeholders of the social spectrum without exceptions and ideological taboos, ” said Bellona’s Greek representative, Ilias Vazaios.
Photo: Anna Papadaki/Bellona
During the course of discussions, several main themes emerged.
Need of a coherent emissions reduction strategy
A pre-condition for a drastic reduction of emissions in Greece is the mapping of a brave but realistic plan that will include short-term as well as long-term measures of emissions reduction as well as concrete escalated objectives until 2050. This plan should provide the necessary answers regarding how Greece is planning to approach the 2020 EU objectives with concrete measures and action. It should also contain an explicit and realistic long-term vision for a carbon-neutral Greece.
Creation of stable legislative framework
Excessive bureaucracy deters the market from harnessing the potential of green economy investments in Greece and leads to the transfer of investment capital to other countries. The existence of a stable and efficient legislative framework is a prerequisite for the market to do its job in the development of a green economy.
Open and sincere discussion with local communities
Lack of information often leads local communities to meet new technologies and investments with suspicion, not the least because missing information gives good ground for misinformation and political manipulation.
A plan is therefore needed in order to stimulate the awareness of local communities in regard to the issue of climate change and environmental protection, and should clearly communicate the co-benefits of taking action, for the community and the nation as a whole.
Use all available emission reduction tools
Greece should consider the use of all available tools to reduce emissions without biases developing a holistic strategy adapted to the national energy needs and potential. If a mix of solutions drawing answers from technologies that have been proposed or even applied in Europe is not used then we will be led to an extension of the existing energy-inefficient and polluting regime.
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