Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-03-21

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't on climate change policy

[01] Gov't on climate change policy

"The issue of climate change due to the greenhouse phenomenon is, undoubtedly, the most important environmental problem that occupies the global community at this time. It is a problem that is extremely complex, the handling of which demands undertaking initiatives on a global as much as a national level," the minister said.

"Greece, according to a decision of the European Commission, is required to limit the increase in greenhouse gas emissions to 25 pct relative to levels in 1990 for certain emissions and 1995 for others in the period 2008-2012. This is our national target," Souflias added.

The minister also contradicted the media's general assessment that the country's environmental record had come under fire from EU Commissioner for the environment Stavros Dimas during his recent address to Parliament.

"In his statements in Parliament, Mr. Dimas of course said that our country is moving in the right direction, under the limit of +25 percent set by the European Commission," Souflias told MPs.

Speaking at the end of February, Dimas had noted that carbon dioxide emissions in Greece had already increased by 26 percent relative to levels in 1990, while warning that "if we do not take immediate and strict measures we will reach 40 percent."

At another point, he disagreed with the creation of separate environment ministry, independent of public works:

"There will never be a powerful environment minister because he will not have executive powers. As things are today, if there were two separate ministries in Greece, which is in the phase of development, many projects would simply fail to go ahead," he said.

Souflias then went on to list a series of measures initiated by the ministry in nine areas to help meet Kyoto Protocol targets, while noting that the evaluation of Greece's national programme for reducing greenhouse gas emissions had highlighted a number of priorities for achieving targets.

According to the minister, these were: greater penetration of natural gas as a fuel source, substantial promotion of renewable energy sources, promoting the use of public transport such as the metro, measures targeting households and the service sector, promoting organic agriculture and promoting use of bio-fuels and biomass.

Other new measures proposed by the ministry include renewing the country's fleet of taxis, promoting cargo transport by rail, systems to manage animal wastes and forestation of agricultural lands.

The measures already underway listed by Souflias included:

A revision of the National Programme for Climate Change, with the addition of measures necessary for meeting the country's targets, including use of the emissions trading scheme. Souflias said the government would be in a position to recommend final proposals for ratification sometime next month;

The first National Plan for Allocation of Emissions for 2005-2007, which calls for 2.1 pct reduction in greenhouse gases and has already been approved by the European Commission and the stricter 2nd Emissions Allocation Plan for 2008-2012 that has also been submitted to the Commission and calls for an 8.9 pct reduction in emissions by 150 industries that contribute 54 pct of total emissions.

Noting that the EU was demanding further reductions of emissions to be allocated from these industries, the minister said Greece had replied and was now waiting for the Commission's response;

Drawing up a Special Land Planning Framework for renewable energy sources that had now been unveiled for consultation, which the government hoped would speed up an increase in the production of "green" energy from 11 percent at present to 20 percent before 2020;

The issue of decisions approving environmental conditions that require the most polluting industries to adopt 'optimal available techniques' for energy conservation and reducing pollutants by October 2007;

The creation of a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rights Register as a basic tool for restricting greenhouse gases;

The incorporation in 2005 into national law of EU directives for the maximum national levels for certain atmospheric pollutants for large incineration facilities;

And drawing up plans to deal with air pollution in large urban centres and for stricter environmental inspections of industrial plants, with higher fines for offenders, while increasing the number of environmental inspectors from 18 to 45, and 66 in the next stage.

The above measures show that Greece is implementing a comprehensive and very specific policy that seeks to fully meet its Kyoto Protocol commitments, Souflias told MPs.

"This is the reality and we obviously still have a lot of work to do. But we are and will remain true to our commitment to dealing with the major problem of greenhouse gas emissions," he concluded.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Environment, Town Planning and Public Works Minister George Souflias.

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