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As EU Member States prepare their National Restoration Plans under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and engage in negotiations on the priorities of the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, a new report from the Interreg Euro-MED ARTEMIS project highlights what is needed to move from the legal protection of Posidonia meadows to the systematic implementation of restoration actions at national and Mediterranean scale.

In the first six months of 2026, domestic gas consumption reached 34.4 TWh, down slightly from the all-time high set in 2025. LNG ranked first in imports for the six-month period and reached a record high (22.07 TWh), while imports via Sidirokastro continue as usual, though the majority are re-exported (7.35 TWh, 47.5% of the six-month total).

The carbon intensity of electricity generation reached a historic low in May 2026 (200 g CO2/kWh), as it also did for 2026 as a whole (227 g CO2/kWh), thanks to record-breaking generation from renewables and hydropower during the first five months. Without the significant curtailments of renewables during this period (1.3 TWh), the average carbon intensity would have been 14.2% lower and below 200 g CO2/kWh. The Agios Dimitrios lignite-fired power plant emitted 0.11 million metric tons during its final month of operation and 1.58 million metric tons over the five-month period, remaining the top polluter.

Renewables ranked first in electricity generation and reached a 9-month high in May with 2,573 GWh, despite significant curtailments (418 GWh, or 14% of RES generation) and the comparatively higher absorption by the first batteries (9.5 GWh, accounting for just 2.2% of RES curtailments). In addition, there was an increase in production from fossil gas and lignite compared to the previous month, resulting in the average monthly price on the day-ahead market remaining the same as in April at 89 €/MWh. Cumulatively, the first five months of 2026 saw record levels for both RES generation (11,930 GWh) and RES curtailments

The Green Tank's Policy Director and co-founder, Ioli Christopoulou, and Nature Policy Associate, Dimitra Syrou, were guests on ERT's Infinitely Curious with Katerina Batzaki, where they discussed the ecological importance of Posidonia seagrass meadows and the urgent need to protect and restore them.

Recent commentary has suggested that Greece exports surplus renewable electricity to Bulgaria during the middle of the day, when solar PV output peaks and wholesale electricity prices are low, only for Bulgaria to store part of this electricity and sell it back to Greece at a higher price after sunset. While this narrative has gained…

The restoration of Mediterranean seagrass meadows must move from fragmented pilot projects to long-term, large-scale action supported by coherent governance and sustainable financing, according to the new report released by the Interreg Euro-MED ARTEMIS project.

Against the backdrop of increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves across Europe, Maria-Christina Doulami, Communications Officer at The Green Tank, explores the vital role of nature in addressing the climate crisis in her latest opinion piece for HuffPost Greece titled “Nature Is Our Natural Air Conditioner. Why Do We Continue to Invest So Little in It?”. Forests, wetlands, seagrass meadows and urban green spaces are not only havens for biodiversity—they are essential natural infrastructure that cool our cities, reduce climate risks and strengthen the resilience of our communities.

How can the EU scale up the restoration of Mediterranean seagrass meadows? This and more were the central questions explored during the online policy roundtable "From Meadows to Markets: Advancing Seagrass Restoration and Sustainable Financing", co-hosted by MEP Dimitris Tsiodras and organised by The Green Tank in the framework of the ARTEMIS Interreg Euro-Med project on June 25, 2026.

Energy communities and self-generation are the main tools enabling citizens, local communities, and small businesses to actively participate in the energy transition. However, the latest data point to a continuing slowdown, both in the development of new projects and in the implementation of existing applications. The Green Tank’s 9th review of energy communities and self-generation in Greece analyses the latest available data from HEDNO, IPTO and GEMI, highlighting the most important trends.

At the 5th ESG Universe Forum, Ioli Christopoulou, Policy Director and Co-founder of The Green Tank, highlighted the role of nature investments as a key tool for biodiversity protection, resilience building, and sustainable development.

From 8 to 10 June 2026, The Green Tank joined fellow partners and associated stakeholders at the final conference of the Interreg Euro-MED ARTEMIS project in Menorca, Spain, contributing to discussions on advancing seagrass restoration across the Mediterranean.

In an article published by Chronos Kozanis, Nikos Mantzaris, Lead Policy Analyst and Co-founder of The Green Tank, examines Greece’s lignite exports to North Macedonia during the 2022–2026 period, shedding light on an aspect of the country’s lignite phase-out that has been at the center of public and parliamentary debate in recent years.

Domestic gas consumption rose in May (4.6 TWh), mainly due to electricity generation (+15.4% compared to April). LNG imports via Revythousa ranked first with 1.85 TWh. However, Russian gas via Sidirokastro followed closely behind with 1.78 TWh. In the first five months of 2026, domestic consumption was at similar levels to last year (29.35 TWh), while LNG imports reached a record high (18.9 TWh), and gas exports quadrupled compared to 2025 (8 TWh).