ATHENS — The EU will actively support Greece's efforts to meet its Green transition goals, said the Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, at the beginning of the first Green Deal Greece 2021 Conference at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. The conference was organised by the Technical Chamber of Greece, in collaboration with the specialist news websites economix.gr and euractiv.gr.

Schinas noted that "on April 21, EU member states agreed on the first European climate law, enshrining the EU's goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050 in legislation," which he said was a landmark commitment for Europe and the world.

"The EU will actively support Greece in achieving its goals for the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and phasing out lignite by 2028. The EU will support areas directly affected by de-lignification, such as Western Macedonia and Megalopolis, with 750 million from the new Just Transition Fund," he underlined.

"With financing from the Structural Funds and other tools we will contribute to the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Plan approved by the government. Our main concern is to take care of those who are directly or indirectly employed in the field of fossil fuels, and provide new opportunities and skills so that no one is left behind. Through the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the Greek government, with the consent of the EU, is expected to use 11.4 billion euros by 2026 for emblematic and substantial measures, such as the energy interconnection of the Cyclades, 645 million euros, using RES, renovation of 100,000 homes for their energy upgrade, totalling 1.3 billion euros, with emphasis on low-income families, 8,000 charging points for electric vehicles, replacement of 220 urban transport buses with electric vehicles", said Schinas.

"The Green Transition will change our daily routine. The buildings, the means, the products, the works. The transition will not be easy or painless but it is necessary. I am confident that with the participation of everyone, the public, the private sector, the EU, we will be able to act and take advantage of the opportunities in this new sustainable era that is emerging," concluded the Vice President of the European Commission.