Pre Loader

Press Releases / Announcements

New policy recommendations for restoring Posidonia meadows in Greece and across the Mediterranean

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.

From Ambition to Action: New Policy Recommendations for Restoring Mediterranean Seagrass Meadows

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.

From Meadows to Markets: Advancing Seagrass Restoration and Sustainable Financing

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.
EnCom

Citizen participation in the energy transition is losing momentum: Slowdown in energy communities and self-generation

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.

The Green Tank at the ARTEMIS Final Conference in Menorca: Policy and Financing for Seagrass Restoration Take Centre Stage

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.

Green Public Procurement: Key to Decarbonizing the Greek Cement Industry

The cement industry is one of the most carbon-intensive industrial sectors globally. Yet its decarbonization is accompanied by significant technical and economic challenges. With the window for achieving the EU’s binding 2030 climate targets rapidly narrowing and the gradual phase-out of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) affecting the sector’s competitiveness, closing the investment gap for decarbonization projects has become an urgent priority.

Response to the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy’s comments on our report on trends in the Greek retail electricity market

Following the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Nikos Tsafos’ public comments, The Green Tank would like to present the data and methodology on which its conclusions are based. The response below clarifies the data used and explains why the increased reliance on fossil gas remains a critical issue both for emissions and for the cost of electricity paid by consumers.

Retail electricity market: Greece among the most expensive in the EU – €1.23 billion in additional costs from green tariffs

In 2025, Greece had the highest retail electricity prices in the EU-27 in terms of consumers’ purchasing power and the third highest in nominal prices. At the same time, the more expensive green tariffs continued to dominate the market despite their high cost, while increased fossil gas use kept both wholesale and retail electricity prices at elevated levels.

EU ETS 2025: Slowing progress and divergence from 2030 targets

Emissions from the four sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) in the EU-27 remained largely unchanged in 2025 (-1.7%). At the same time, lignite and hard coal continued to account for 46% of emissions in the power and heat sector. In Greece, emissions from this sector increased due to higher fossil gas use, while the country recorded the highest maritime emissions in the EU. By contrast, the carbon footprint of the Greek cement industry fell by 9.2%, and that of refineries by 4.6%.

Just Transition & Local Community Participation: Lessons from Estonia

The Green Tank participated in the meeting of the working groups of the European Just Transition Platform, held in Narva, Estonia. During the meeting, participants presented and discussed the outcomes of the working groups, focusing on the future of the Just Transition in the next EU programming period (2028–2034).

The Green Tank at the first Greek Seagrass Forum

The Green Tank actively participated in the first Greek Seagrass Forum, held at the French Institute of Greece in Athens from April 28 to 30, 2026, contributing to the dialogue on the protection and restoration of Posidonia oceanica, one of the Mediterranean’s most important ecosystems.

Greece: Increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2024 Signals Growing Gap from Climate Targets

The Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy has officially submitted Greece’s annual greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for 2024 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The data point to a concerning development in the country’s climate policy trajectory, as emissions are increasing rather than declining.

The Green Fund joins as new partner in the SAvE Whales project

A major step towards the implementation of the SAvE Whales initiative has been achieved with the inclusion of the Green Fund in the project's partnership. This development was formalized through the signing of an Addendum to the existing Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening the institutional basis and long-term sustainability of the effort to protect sperm whales in the Mediterranean.

Documenting Posidonia Restoration at Atzikiari Bay

The first episode of the ARTEMIS documentary series highlights pioneering restoration efforts in the Posidonia meadows at Atzikiari Bay, Crete, featuring the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), The Green Tank, and the project’s other partners.