Papastavrou: For years, decarbonization functioned like a holy grail, not only in Brussels but also in many other countries

The request for realism successful however the vigor modulation is achieved was emphasized by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, speaking astatine the 11th Delphi Economic Forum 2026 successful a treatment with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission liable for a Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera.

“For years, decarbonization functioned similar a beatified grail, not lone successful Brussels but besides successful galore different countries, and it was interpreted arsenic thing that takes precedence implicit societal cohesion, competitiveness, oregon deindustrialization. Now we each recognize that it is not an extremity successful itself. We recognize however important it is, without sacrificing biology extortion and the request to trim emissions, to determination forward, but to bash truthful successful a realistic mode and to stay technologically neutral,” Mr. Papastavrou stressed.

In effect to a question astir the vigor crisis, helium underlined that successful 2022 it took much than a twelvemonth for subordinate states to judge that they needed to instrumentality enactment and statesman discussions. “This clip it took lone 2 weeks. Europe does not person cleanable reflexes, but it has proven that erstwhile a situation comes it has the spot and maturity to instrumentality measures,” helium noted, adding: “It is wide that we indispensable instrumentality targeted measures that volition support societal cohesion and volition not undermine fiscal stability, but astatine the aforesaid clip volition not make inequalities. And astatine the aforesaid time, we indispensable determination towards a azygous European vigor market.”

The Minister of Environment and Energy referred to Greece’s advancement successful its vigor mix, noting that successful 2005 Greece covered implicit 65% of its energy needs from lignite, portion successful 2025 lignite has fallen beneath 8% and Renewable Energy Sources person reached 55%. “The stock of Renewable Energy Sources successful the country’s vigor premix places Greece 7th globally. And if we comparison greenhouse state emissions implicit the aforesaid period, we are beneath 50%. This shows that biology extortion is not a luxury. It is thing nine tin support, arsenic agelong arsenic it is done successful realistic presumption and takes into relationship economical competitiveness and societal cohesion,” helium said.

Referring to the Grid Directive, helium noted that galore countries openly opposed it. “We fought a large battle. I anticipation that developments successful the Middle East volition pb successful June to the support of the bundle for the grid,” helium stressed.

The Vice-President of the European Commission, connected her part, noted that the EU is much resilient to crises compared to 2022. “We are successful a amended position. We person the means to respond, we cognize that we indispensable enactment unneurotic and quickly. That is wherefore the interaction is not arsenic large arsenic successful the Ukrainian crisis,” Ms. Ribera stressed.