Parliament: With the support of ND, reservation of PASOK and ‘no’ SYRIZA, KKE, ELLY and MERA25, the elaboration of the Climate Law began in the committees

With the ruling party describing it as “an important tool for the smooth transition to green energy, while ensuring the country’s development and social and environmental cohesion and justice” and the opposition attributing them to communication tactics and talking about timid, vague and non-development plan, the elaboration of the climate law began in a joint meeting of the Committees, Production and Trade and Environmental Protection.

Only the deputies of ND were in favor of the principle of the bill. From the opposition parties, SYRIZA, KKE, Elliniki Lysi and MERA25 stated that they are voting against in principle, while PASOK-KINAL, reserved the position to take a position after the hearing of the competent bodies.

The Minister of Environment and Energy, Costas Skrekas, spoke about “an ambitious national plan aimed at protecting the environment, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the country’s energy dependence by strengthening Renewable Energy Sources”.

“With the national climate law – something that happens for the first time in our country – we succeed in creating significant opportunities for sustainable development, we contribute to creating a climate of confidence and stability in the market and we reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, through productive processes and significant increase in RES “, he pointed out.

As Mr. Skrekas noted, “the climate law was a personal commitment of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself that is being implemented today”, and added that “we must all help achieve this ambitious goal, which is not only national but also European and global to be climate neutral by 2050 “.

“The bill includes not only our goals and national strategy, but also the financial tools adopted by the government to support them,” he said.

Mr. Skrekas emphasized, among other things, the significant increase in the operation of Renewable Energy Sources, emphasizing that “the cost of importing natural gas will be reduced by 200 to 250 million euros per year.”

He also focused on the promotion of e-mobility, with funds amounting to 450 million euros, informing that “in a few days the operation of the electronic platform for the application for a grant of 11,000 euros for the purchase of small electric cars will be opened on a trial basis”.

“The project specializes in 7 areas of activity related to: Electricity generation, transport, industry, buildings, agriculture, livestock, waste and land use change,” said Mr. Skrekas.

The Minister of Environment paid particular attention to the provisions of the bill which provide, inter alia, that:

– The operation of all lignite units is stopped until December 31, 2028 at the latest

-From 2026, in Athens and Thessaloniki, all new taxis and 1/3 of rental vehicles must be electric.

-From 2025, the purchase of heating burners in buildings is prohibited.

– In buildings over 500 sqm, it becomes mandatory to install electricity generation systems from photovoltaic or thermal solar systems at a rate of at least 30% of the coverage.

– By March 31, 2023, each municipality will calculate the carbon footprint in order to reduce emissions by 10% for 2025 and 30% for the year 2030, compared to 2019.

– A strategic framework is established for the integrated transition of the Greek islands to climate neutrality with the utilization of

– A National Observatory is established to adapt to climate change and monitor its consequences.

“The adoption of a bill that addresses the effects of climate change and the energy crisis at their core, that secures important financial instruments, safeguards environmental protection and social cohesion and justice, is an absolute priority and a necessity for the well-being of society as a whole. “the development of the country and the creation of new jobs”, the Minister of Environment and Energy underlined.

For his part, SYRIZA rapporteur Socrates Famellos expressed his opposition to the climate law, calling the government’s proposal “insufficient to deal with critical environmental and energy crises”.

“The climate crisis is the biggest challenge we have to face and it carries the risk of deepening existing inequalities and creating new ones. The government’s climate law proposal is insufficient, it does not meet modern and urgent needs, it does not recognize the need to change it. “It does not contain an adequate model of governance, it does not address social inequalities and energy poverty and, above all, it does not involve society and the economy in this great change,” said Mr. Famellos.

“The Mitsotakis government’s bill is also unscientific and aims at simply general and communicative assumptions,” he said, accusing it of “not following any of the good European practices of other countries to consult society and stakeholders.”

“As in the Recovery Fund, the climate law makes no reference to inequalities, ignores the basis of the economy, small and medium-sized enterprises and is completely indifferent to the principle of social justice, which is also a basic principle of the European Green Agreement,” Famellos said.

He also spoke of “fake de-ligation”, while concluding that “this bill can not be a basis for discussion on the great political and social necessity of climate neutrality.”

“Normally it should be withdrawn and corrected with the participation of the bodies, but we do not expect such a thing from the government if it does not have this will”, concluded Mr. Famellos.

The special rapporteur of PASOK-KINAL, George Arvanitidis, claimed that “the bill lacks the conditions of climate justice and democracy while no provisions are provided for social participation and balanced and sustainable development.”

“There is a marginalization of the society while no involvement of the Parliament is foreseen. You are getting a grade below the base. Your actions and choices do not correspond to the climate democracy and justice”, stressed the special speaker of PASOK-KINAL.

“You are transferring the burden to the new generations, in an anti-democratic climate, you do not envisage a system of support for those affected, you are setting up a multi-faceted system of dubious effectiveness, referring to the implementation of the law after the 2023 elections which will then be reviewed by another government. The transition to green development requires a lot of work but this plan is unbroken, it does not cause any cuts, that is why we have reservations “, concluded Mr. Arvanitidis.

The KKE’s special spokeswoman, Diamanto Manolakou, opposed the bill, which she said “strengthens the country’s energy poverty and energy dependence”.

“The aim of the bill is for the monopolies to find a profitable way out, for the environment to enter a new phase of capitalist development, destroying the weakest and creating new profitability, tied to the people’s income,” he said.

“Your criterion is capitalist profit and monopolies. You do not use all the productive forces. Capitalist development can not safeguard the environment. Assigning its exploitation to monopoly groups will not protect the environment, as you hypocritically claim by uploading the account to “With this legislation, you deify individual responsibility and the hike”, concluded Ms. Manolakou, stating that the KKE is voting against.

“We are in favor of green growth to save primary energy and protect the environment, but not with colonial models, to the detriment of the homeland,” said the special rapporteur of the Hellenic Solution, Vassilis Viliardos.

“The bill brought by the government reminds someone who says that he wants to buy an expensive car when he has a small car for which he still pays installments,” he noted.

Mr Billiardos also spoke of “unrealistic and utopian goals in the bill, as the country owes a huge debt and only produces deficits” and concluded that his party was “voting against it”. it’s up to the government. ”

“We are voting against the bill that destroys the environment and increases the profits of five specific companies”, supported for his part, the special speaker of MERA25, Kriton Arsenis.

“Bring a bill that addresses obligations for those who do not have and projects and profits to the occupants, without any provision for environmental rehabilitation. It is not a plan for the next day, for a fair transition and with an ecological development sign for the environment. It is a plan Your strategic policy aimed at adapting to a fair transition is without the participation of society and with the bypass of the parliament. direction “, stressed Mr. Arsenis.

SYRIZA MP, Hara Kafantari, claimed that “the government manages in communication only the major issue of the climate law without taking into account the global effects of the environmental and energy crises”.

The SYRIZA MP, Theopisti Perka, moved in the same direction, talking about an “insufficient step”.

ND’s rapporteur, Christoforos Boutsikakis, argued that “climate law includes specific quantitative and qualitative targets and is an important tool that will preserve social cohesion and justice and the transition to a green economy.”

“The bill addresses the consequences of climate change at their core and its adoption is an absolute priority and necessity as it will significantly help protect the environment, the country’s energy independence and social prosperity and create new jobs,” he said. Boutsikakis.

Source: AMPE