Ioli Christopoulou talked about the future of climate and environmental policy, in the aftermath of the U.S. and European Union elections, in an interview with the Sustainable Development Observatory of ENA Institute of Alternative Policies, as part of a special feature curated by Yiannis Efstathopoulos.
Among other points, The Green Tank’s Policy Director emphasized that while global concern over climate disasters and demand for climate solutions are increasing, they are not necessarily decisive factors at the ballot box.
For instance, just before the European elections (May 2024), 81% of Europeans agreed that achieving climate neutrality by 2050 would help combat climate change. Even in the U.S., where climate skepticism remains strong, recognition of the climate crisis is growing.
At the same time, Ioli Christopoulou acknowledged that skepticism and resistance to new technologies and specific renewable energy projects should not be underestimated. She stressed that these issues require institutional responses to ensure public participation and social justice, without causing setbacks in the green energy transition.
Regarding the European Green Deal, she pointed out that it has yielded results in many areas. However, its opposition is fueled by populist exploitation of the rising cost of living, often ignoring support mechanisms such as the Just Transition Fund and the European Social Climate Fund. Additionally, powerful forces resisting change view the green transition as solely a cost burden, while overlooking ongoing investments in greening entire industries.
As she noted, resisting these pressures is crucial, as delays in implementing agreed-upon measures would not only have climate consequences but also lead to loss of time and resources.
Furthermore, she highlighted that industrial decarbonization is a major challenge for the new European Commission. The Clean Industrial Deal, set to be announced on February 26, 2025, is expected to play a key role in this regard.
Finally, when asked about the mix of solutions for the decarbonization of the economy—whether nature-based or purely technological—she underlined the need for a regulatory framework, pricing mechanisms, and market rules to ensure their implementation.
ENA’s Sustainable Development Observatory feature, “The Future of Climate and Environmental Policy After the U.S. & European Elections,” was published on February 13, 2025. You can find Ioli Christopoulou’s interview in Greek here.