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The importance of energy democracy and the need for a socially just energy transition were highlighted by Ioanna Souka, Energy Policy Analyst at The Green Tank, during her participation in the online event organized by the citizens’ initiative O Kosmos on July 24, marking the 51st anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece.

Nikos Mantzaris spoke on Naftemporiki TV about the impacts of the new Emissions Trading System (ETS2) for buildings and road transport on vulnerable households, as well as the tools Greece has at its disposal to address them.

Despite notable progress, 2024 saw an increase in emissions from power generation in Greece due to fossil gas and stagnation in industrial emissions. In contrast, the EU-27 achieved a 20-year low in emissions in both sectors. Greece also ranked first among EU-27 countries in shipping emissions, while emissions from aviation doubled compared to 2013.

The Green Tank submitted its comments and proposals during the public consultation on carbon budgets across seven sectors of the economy.

The Green Tank contributed to a major study assessing the governance of Protected and Conserved Areas (PCAs) worldwide. The study was led by a team from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), with input from the Fidelio program and under the scientific guidance of Dr. Nicoletta Jones (Warwick University / University of Cambridge).

The Green Tank submitted comments on Greece’s national Social Climate Plan, which has been open for public consultation since July 4 and concludes on July 18. This Plan is the main strategy for designing measures and policies aimed at mitigating the socio-economic impacts of implementing the new Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport (ETS2).

Gas consumption hit a historic high in the first half of 2025, reaching 34.6 TWh, mainly driven by power generation (67%), which recorded a ten-year record high (23.3 TWh). LNG was the top source of imports, surpassing Russian gas. In June, gas consumption rose to 5.5 TWh (+29.4% compared to May). Across Europe, gas consumption increased by 7% over the first five months, with Greece among the 19 countries that saw higher consumption.

The Green Tank submitted detailed positions in response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the revision of the EU ETS Directive, along with comprehensive answers to the related questionnaire, actively contributing to the shaping of Europe’s flagship climate policy. It supports strengthening the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral economy in a fair and socially equitable manner.

Spending by vulnerable households in Greece is expected to increase by up to EUR 1.6 billion between 2027 and 2032 due to the implementation of the new Emissions Trading System (ETS2) for buildings and road transport. A new study by The Green Tank and Facets recommends a mix of immediate and long-term measures, costing up to EUR 15.5 billion, leveraging the Social Climate Fund (SCF) and other available resources to protect vulnerable households while also contributing to climate targets.

The Natural Heritage Mission of the Interreg EURO-MED programmes, in collaboration with the Organization for Natural Environment and Climate Change (OFYPEKA) and the National Technical University of Athens, celebrated European Maritime Day “In My Country” by organizing a workshop on “Governance solutions for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean,” on Thursday 3 July 2025. The Green Tank and the ARTEMIS project were represented by Dimitra Syrou, while Alice Wittevrongel from Plan Bleu, the lead partner of the ARTEMIS project, coordinated the working group on the theme of 'Restoration'."

Following the decision of the Green Fund’s Board of Directors under the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which convened on July 2 2025, co-funding was approved for The Green Tank for the LIFE EFFECT project for the year 2025. The LIFE EFFECT project (LIFE Effective and Fair European Carbon Trading: Ensuring EU carbon pricing and…

In May 2025, the carbon intensity of power generation dropped to a 10-year low (214 g CO2/kWh) thanks to the rise of renewables. However, a total of 6.34 million tons were emitted in the first five months of 2025 due to a surge in gas use. With only 3.856 million tons left in the sector’s carbon budget for the year, the country is off track to meet its 2025 NECP target. Notably, had there been no RES curtailments during the first five months (975 GWh), the power sector would have emitted 0.54 million tons less, more than the total emissions

The Green Tank’s ninth newsletter for the developments of the last six months (January – June 2025) related to the Just Transition of lignite regions in Greece and in Europe has been published.

975 GWh of RES were rejected cumulatively in the first 5 months of 2025 (383 GWh in May), exceeding the total curtailments for the entire year of 2024 (899 GWh). Despite these high curtailments, RES production in May reached 2,219 GWh. This brought the average price on the energy market down to 81.9 €/MWh - the lowest in the past 12 months. Gas-fired generation ranked second, with a moderate rebound to March levels (1,457 GWh), while the interconnection balance returned to net exports after March, totaling 139.7 GWh.