ANKARA
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Saturday said that his country has cut the use of coal by more than 80%
Speaking at the UN climate summit, commonly known as COP28, in Dubai, Mitsotakis said: “We have cut our coal use by over 80%. We are growing our economy at a much faster pace than the Eurozone average while reducing emissions. In total, our emissions are down by 43% from 2005.”
This has placed the nation among the top performers in Europe as it increasingly transitions to renewable energy sources, he said.
“Last year, our penetration of wind and solar was the seventh highest in the world. And our installed capacity was the fifth highest on a per capita basis,” the prime minister added.
“Over half of the country’s electricity is now generated by wind and solar, providing a shield against energy crises, such as those triggered by geopolitical events like the invasion of Ukraine,” he added.
The commitment to a rapid transition to renewable energy extends beyond electricity generation, Mitsotakis said, adding the country is undertaking renovations of homes and offices, establishing a carbon capture and storage value chain for heavy industry, and leveraging its islands as testing grounds for cutting-edge sustainability practices.
Greece is also prioritizing the decarbonization of shipping, he said.
Recognizing the urgency of the climate crisis, he emphasized the importance of resource allocation to resilience efforts “Europe has an important role to play in that direction.”
Acknowledging the need for a just transition, he said Greece commits to supporting communities affected by the shift toward sustainability and protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of climate change.
