Οpinion piece by Nikos Mantzaris on the main elements of the agreement on the European Just Transition Fund.
The article highlights that the agreement among the EU institutions reached on the evening of December 9, 2020 rules out the possibility of financing any fossil gas infrastructure, regardless of whether it is related to combustion, production, treatment, distribution, storage and even transportation. This also includes the case of district heating systems,where funding from the Just Transition Fund is possible only if it concerns renewables.
Combined with the agreement already reached on the European Regional Development Fund a day earlier, this recent agreement means that the idea that fossil gas can serve as a transition fuel falls flat, necessitating greater investment in renewable energy.
The article also notes that given the unfairness in the allocation criteria included in the new Just Transition Fund regulation, the agreement introduced also a green reward mechanism that will allocate additional funds available after 2024 based on transition speed, as expressed by the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from industrial facilities in the regions in transition.
Based on these important developments, the article concludes with a strong call on Greece to take these developments into account and make the appropriate adjustments in its energy policy and just transition plan for the country’s lignite regions.
The article titled “End to fossil gas from the Just Transition Fund” was published (in Greek) at energypress.gr on 10.12.2020: Τέλος στο ορυκτό αέριο από το Ταμείο Δίκαιης Μετάβασης.
