Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis today said more emphasis needs to be placed on "adaptation" at this year's UN Cop 29 climate summit, noting that his Mediterranean country is one faced with the climate crisis.
Speaking to reporters at the summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, Mitsotakis said he is always cautiously optimistic when he attends these gatherings. "We all understand that we need to both accelerate the climate transition and at the same time place more emphasis on adaptation, because the climate crisis is with us today," he said. Adaptation refers to adjustments to avoid global warming impacts.
"This is not just a question of getting to net zero by 2050," he said. "It's also very much a question of protecting our citizens in 2024 and 2025. Getting this balance right is going to be critical for the well-being of all of us," he added.
Greece is one of the European countries disproportionately affected by climate risks including rising sea levels and increases in temperature. The country has in recent years experienced more frequent and extreme weather events such as droughts causing wildfires.
Greece in August published an updated draft national energy and climate plan (NECP) for public consultation, which lays out a plan for the country to increase the utilisation of renewable energy sources for domestic electricity consumption. It aims to reach 76.8pc of gross electricity consumption from renewable energy sources by 2030, up from an expected 58.5pc in 2025. It will also phase out lignite-fired generation while increasing its support for renewable energy sources.
The development of offshore wind capacity will increase the country's energy independence and enable the export of renewable electricity to neighbouring countries.
