The Prime Minister spoke about the urgent need for energy transition Kyriakos Mitsotakisin her speech at the session of the 27th Conference of the Parties to her Convention UN on climate change.

“The energy transition is not only risk reduction, it is an opportunity. And this is a strategic necessity,” he stressed, noting that the production of energy with limited carbon dioxide emissions means energy security. “No one can ‘close the switch’ on our wind and solar power,” he explained.

“This energy transition will also allow us to rethink the Greek economic model. For decades we have been a net importer of energy. Our trade balances and competitiveness have suffered. This is changing,” the prime minister noted, adding that “our future competitiveness will be based on abundant wind and solar resources. Greece is already a pioneer in renewable energy. Nearly half of our electricity today comes from wind, sun and water. We have an installed wind and solar capacity of over 10 GW. And we are among the top ten countries in the world ranking for wind and solar energy penetration. Last month, we reached a milestone when, in five hours of sunny and windy October day, solar and wind power covered 100% of the country’s electricity needs.”

The Prime Minister said that Greece wants to become a net exporter of electricity to the rest of Europe. “We want to contribute to the transport of energy and hydrogen from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe. We are in talks with Egypt to build a 3GW cable to bring cheap solar power from North Africa to Europe. Our goal is to be at the center of a new corridor that will redraw the energy map of Europe,” he stressed.

Regarding the energy crisis, he emphasized that “without energy security there can be no energy transition. Like many other countries, we need to temporarily increase the production of lignite. At the same time, we must import more liquefied natural gas. And we are investing in natural gas infrastructure to improve our energy security and that of our neighbors. At the same time, we must continue to support our citizens in the fight against the consequences of a serious crisis related to the cost of living.”

“Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are meeting today in Sharm el-Sheikh in the midst of an acute energy crisis caused by Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine.

I would like to speak to you today as a “radical realist”. Radically, because I am a firm believer in the energy transition. It is necessary. It’s unavoidable. The energy transition is not only risk reduction, it is an opportunity. And this is a strategic necessity.

Energy production with limited carbon emissions means energy security. It is clear. No one can “turn off the switch” on our wind and solar energy.

But this energy transition will also allow us to rethink Greece’s economic model. For decades we have been a net importer of energy. Our trade balances and competitiveness have suffered. This is changing.

Our future competitiveness will be based on our abundant wind and solar resources. Greece is already a pioneer in renewable energy. Nearly half of our electricity today comes from wind, sun and water.

We have an installed wind and solar capacity of over 10 GW. And we are among the top ten countries in the world ranking for wind and solar energy penetration.

Last month, we reached a milestone when, on a sunny and windy October day, solar and wind power covered 100% of the country’s electricity needs in five hours on a sunny and windy October day.

Meanwhile, carbon consumption has fallen by almost 80% in less than 10 years. The energy we consume today emits 30% less carbon dioxide than in 2005.

And this is just the beginning. We have just passed the first Climate Law and committed to achieving zero carbon by 2050. We want to double the production capacity of renewable energy units by the end of the decade.

We want to become a net exporter of electricity to the rest of Europe. We want to contribute to the transport of energy and hydrogen from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe.

We are in talks with Egypt to build a 3GW cable to bring cheap solar power from North Africa to Europe.

Our goal is to be at the center of a new corridor that will change the energy map of Europe.

But at the same time, we will have to deal with the current crisis. Without energy security, there can be no energy transition. Like many other countries, we need to temporarily increase the production of lignite. At the same time, we must import more liquefied natural gas. And we are investing in natural gas infrastructure to improve our energy security and that of our neighbors.

At the same time, we must continue to support our citizens in the fight against the consequences of a severe crisis related to the cost of living.

Personally, I don’t see any contradiction between securing the present and investing in the future. Otherwise, our citizens will not support us.

For this reason, we need radicalism and realism. I believe this is the only way forward. This is my post today.

Thanks a lot.”