Greece can become one of Europe’s “green champions”: EU Commissioner for Economy

·

Greece is in a position to take the lead among European Union (EU) members in sustainable policies and investments, European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni said.

In the first presentation of the European Commission’s new “European Green Deal Investment Plan” in Greece, Gentiloni explained the objectives and goals of the EU-wide project, stressing that “Greece could even become one of the green champions for Europe.”

“Its geographical location and natural wealth offer opportunities for sustainable tourism, high-value eco-label products, renewable energy, and green logistics,” said Gentiloni, a former Italian prime minister.

Sustainable development provides abundant opportunities for Greece to invest in areas such as management of solid waste, water treatment, or production of energy from renewable sources, explained Gentiloni.

“As of December 2019, total financing under the European Fund for Strategic Investment in Greece amounts to 2.7 billion euros,” he said, adding that it’s set to trigger 12.1 billion euros in additional investment.

Gentiloni also noted that “tackling climate change is the defining task of this Commission, and probably of those to follow, too.”

He presented data showing that a quarter of the EU budget for the next seven years will head to tackling climate issues, as the bloc intends to invest a total of one trillion euros for that purpose over the next decade.

“This is necessary, but not sufficient,” admitted the Commissioner, “as our agencies have calculated, we need to spend 260 billion euros per year. We need to transform our housing, transport, energy, agriculture, etc.”

He further announced that the Commission will soon launch a public consultation process on a sustainable financial system and that “we are preparing guidance for green budgeting” for EU member states.

Sourced via Xinhua.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Honour a loved one of Hellenic heritage on the National Monument to Migration

The name of a loved one with Hellenic heritage can be engraved on Australia's Notional Monument to Migration if you register before June 30.

Shadow Minister slams government inaction as Google cuts ethnic media funding deal early

Google's early exit from a key funding deal puts independent Australian media at risk, drawing backlash from federal Opposition.

Youthful St George Saints devastated by double header defeat

The St George Saints Mens White team faced a tough double header last weekend against two powerhouse opponents.

Ceasefire brings relief, but travel disruptions continue for some Greek Australians

Greek Australians flying to Europe via the Middle East continue to experience significant delays, rerouted connections and unexpected costs.

Dean Kalimniou’s new poetry collection explores deep roots of language and violence

A new poetry collection by acclaimed Melbourne-based author, poet, and lawyer Dean Kalimniou has just been published in Athens.

You May Also Like

Tsitsipas advances to semi-final after defeating Auger Aliassime at Mexican Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas has advanced to the semi-final of the Mexican Open after defeating seventh seed Felix Auger Aliassime this afternoon.

Australian aircrafts to aid Cyprus in combating rising wildfire threats

Australian firefighting aircrafts will be dispatched to Cyprus in the coming weeks to assist rising wildfire threats.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis sets objectives for Tourism Ministry ahead of 2020 season

After meeting with Tourism minister Haris Theocharis at a meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented six objectives for the first half of the year.