The document provides key recommendations for Greece's environmental policy, including promoting a green economic recovery from COVID-19, phasing out lignite by 2028 and supporting transition areas, ensuring water, agriculture and tourism policies account for climate change, and strengthening environmental authorities and monitoring. It also summarizes Greece's progress in areas like reducing emissions and increasing renewable energy while still facing challenges around air pollution, waste treatment, and protecting biodiversity.

1. Rodolfo Lacy
OECD Environment Director
5 October 2020

2. Selected
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
2
 Promoting a resilient, green and inclusive economic
recovery from COVID-19
 Ensure effective use of EU funding for environment-
related infrastructure
 Phase-out lignite by 2028 and support the transition
in lignite-dependent areas; pursue island
interconnection and invest in renewables and storage
systems
 Ensure that water, agriculture and tourism policies
factor in climate change impacts
 Further integrate biodiversity concerns into economic
sectors; support sustainable tourism

3. Selected
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
3
 Close illegal landfills, build treatment facilities for
hazardous waste
 Adopt the air pollution control programme to
protect human health
 Align fiscal incentives with environmental
objectives; phase out fossil fuel subsidies while
protecting those in need
 Strengthen environmental inspection authorities
 Improve environmental monitoring and
information

4. PROGRESS
in decoupling
PHOTO: Lignite Agios Dimitrios Power Plant, Kozani
Shutterstock
DECOUPLING
FROM
ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY
2009-2017
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
2009=100
Pesticide sales
(2014=100)
Municipal waste generation
(2010=100)
NOx emissions
SOx emissions
GHG emissions
(excl. LULUCF)
Real GDP
Final energy consumption
some environmental pressures
from GDP could be reversed
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
2009=100

5. ACCELERATE
the ambitious
energy transition
GHG EMISSIONS, PROJECTIONS AND TARGETS
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Mt CO2 eq
Total emissions EU ETS Non-EU ETS
eq
Total emissions EU ETS Non-EU ETS
KYOTO target
2012-2018
PHOTO: Wind turbines in Greece
Shutterstock
-95%
-85%
-58%
-75%
PROJECTIONS
with existing measures
NECP 2005-2030: -56%
2005-2030: -36%
long-term
SCENARIOS
% change
1990-2050

6. 6
TOTAL ENERGY SUPPLY
by source
100%
46%
20%
18%
13%
-25%
-39%
-48%
75%
79%
-60% -40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Total
Oil
Coal
Natural gas
Renewables
% composition, 2018 % change, 2005-18
INVEST
in renewables
and storage systems
PHOTO: Greece, wind power
Shutterstock

7. 7
INVEST
in renewables
and storage systems
Coal
(Lignite)
34%
Oil
9%
Natural gas
26%
Solar PV
7%
Wind
12%
Hydro
11%
Biogases
1%
Renewables
31%
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION
2018
PHOTO: Solar panels in Crete
Shutterstock

8. INTEGRATE
biodiversity concerns
into economic sectors
CONSERVATION STATUS
100%
Conservation status of habitats and species
Favourable Unfavourable/inadequate
Unfavourable/bad Unknown
EU average (favourable)
HABITATS SPECIES
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2007 2013 2007 2
HABITATS SPECIES
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2007 2013 2007 2013
HABITATS SPECIES
100%
Conservation status of habitats and species
Favourable Unfavourable/inadequate
Unfavourable/bad Unknown
EU average (favourable)
HABITATS SPECIES
PHOTO: Pelican from Prespa Lake
Shutterstock

9. ADDRESS
air pollution
Source: OECD (2019), OECD Environment Statistics (database).
NUMBER OF PREMATURE DEATHS
DUE TO OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION PER MILLION INHABITANTS
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
2017 2010
PHOTO: Athens, Shutterstock

10. ALIGN
taxes with
environmental objectives
0
1
2
3
4
5
%
Energy
Motor vehicles/transport
Pollution
Resources
Share of
ENVIRONMENTALLY RELATED TAX REVENUE IN GDP,
top ten OECD countries
2018
PHOTO: Grece coast, Shutterstock

11. PHASE OUT
fossil fuel subsidies
0
10
20
30
40
50
%
FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION SUPPORT
as a share of energy tax revenue,
top 10 OECD countries
2016
PHOTO: Theater Megalopolis
Shutterstock

12. IMPROVE
waste treatment
infrastructure
MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
by type of treatment
2017
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Landfill Incineration without energy recovery
Incineration with energy recovery Recycling and composting
Other treatment
n.a
100%
Landfill Incineration without energy recovery
Incineration with energy recovery Recycling and composting
Other treatment
PHOTO: Garbage in Greece

13. ENCOURAGE
water saving
INTENSITY OF GROSS FRESHWATER ABSTRACTION
2017
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
0
200
400
600
800
1 000
1 200
1 400
%
m3/capita
Per capita % of renewable resources (right axis)
2 162 4 419
PHOTO: Dam of Marathonas
Shutterstock

14. REDUCE
diffuse pollution
AGRICULTURAL TRENDS
2015-2018
140
Consumption of nitrogen fertilisers
Irrigation water abstraction (2015=100)
Agricultural value added
Agricultural land
Pesticide sales (2014=100)
2005 = 100
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017
Consumption of nitrogen fertilisers
Irrigation water abstraction (2015=100)
Agricultural value added
Agricultural land
Pesticide sales (2014=100)
2005 = 100
PHOTO: Kilkis cropland
Shutterstock
2005=100

15. EFFECTIVE USE
of EU funding
OPERATIONAL PROGRAMMES ON ENVIRONMENT
2007-2013 vs 2014-2020
0 200 400 600 800 1 000
Wastewater management
Water management
Waste
Air and climate
Biodiversity
Other
EUR billion
PHOTO: Kri-kri (Capra aegagrus cretica)
Shutterstock
for environment-related
infrastructure
EURO million

16. THANKS
Σας ευχαριστώ
PHOTO: Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Shutterstock