Covering an important information gap on the social dimensions of climate change, the Greek edition of R. Leichenko’s and K. O’Brien’s book “Climate and Society” by Papazisis Publishers comes at a historical juncture for the country’s environmental and energy policy. With her contribution Ioli Christopoulou, Policy Director at The Green Tank, shed light on the challenges of this particular moment.
The book launch took place a few days after the Greek Prime Minister’s signal to resume seismic hydrocarbon exploration. This happened the day before his attendance at COP-27 in Egypt, and just a few days since renewables for the first time covered 100% of the country’s electricity demand for 5 hours. With Europe on the path to green energy transition persistence in fossil fuels seems undoubtedly to be a setback and a threat to humanity.
This was the focus of Ioli Christopoulou’s contribution, who pointed out that the social transformations that emerge as the impact of climate change – and which are mapped on many levels by the authors of the book – make the green transition not only an environmental but also a social demand. Even though the book was published in 2019 – and thus did not include the developments brought about by the European Green Deal and movements such as Fridays for Future – it documents, among other things, transformations that were already visible at the time in terms of beliefs, emotions, and adaptability which altogether signaled the strengthening of social climate action, awareness, participation and advocacy for climate policy.
In her contribution she concluded that “with its insightful interpretations, the book helps us to listen more carefully to ourselves and others and to adjust our speech and actions in order to mobilize and motivate ourselves to participate and co-construct those decisions deemed necessary to complete the transition to a sustainable and just future”.
Comments on the book were provided also by:
Manolis Pleionis, President, NOA
Emmanouela Doussis, Professor, UOA
Nikos Charalambides, Executive Director, Greenpeace
Sandy Fameliari, Climate Change Project Manager, Greenpeace
Nikos Demertzis, Professor, UOA, President, EKKE
Giorgos Papadoudis, Researcher, EKKE
Lydia Avrami, Post-Doctoral Researcher on Environmental Governance, UOA
The discussion was moderated by Katerina Christofilidou, Journalist. The book launch was held on November 14, 2022.
