Climate Law: What it Provides for Pollution Emissions and the Climate Crisis Skai.gr

The Climate Law defines the institutional framework for the gradual reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in order to address the climate crisis and achieve climate neutrality in 2050.

Includes:

• National quantitative targets and their distribution in the 7 main sectors through the preparation of five-year carbon budgets based on the forecasts of ESEK.
• Integrate climate change adaptation measures into sectoral policies.
• Governance system and monitoring indicators.
• General directions and specific day.

It is essentially the Road Map that the country will adopt in order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. For this purpose, the following quantitative targets are set:

A. Quantitative objectives:

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990.
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2040 compared to 1990.
• Climate neutrality by 2050 (this means that pollutants released from polluting production activities must be fully absorbed).

The goals and the way to achieve them will be reviewed every five years, starting from the end of 2024.

The process of achieving and sharing the burdens in the individual sectors is done through the preparation of five-year coal sectoral budgets for:

1. Production of electricity and heat,
2. transport,
3. industry,
4. buildings,
5. agriculture and animal husbandry,
6. waste and
7. land uses, land use changes and forestry.

For each of the above sectors, sectoral carbon budgets will be prepared, starting from 2023 for the period 2026-2030. The process will be repeated every five years for the next five years.

The procedure provided for in the draft law is as follows: The Ministry of Environment and Energy prepares, in collaboration with the ESEK Monitoring Working Group, the coal sectoral budgets and forwards them to the Organization for Natural Environment and Climate Change (OFYPEKA) for public to the Scientific Committee on Climate Change for its opinion. The sectoral budgets, after processing the comments of the consultation and the opinion of the Scientific Committee on Climate Change, are submitted by the Minister of Environment and Energy for approval to the Government Committee on the Climate Neutrality Process and then ratified by law.

B. Integrating adaptation to climate change into sectoral policies

In order to take the appropriate measures and implement the necessary actions to ensure the creation of a climate-resistant society, fully adapted to the effects of climate change, are instituted:

• National Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation (NCSR) and reassessment every decade. The ESPKA is prepared by the newly established Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and defines the strategic framework with the aim of drawing up guidelines. The strategic framework specializes in Regional Plans for Climate Change Adaptation.

• Regional Plans for Adaptation to Climate Change (PES). They are compiled by the Regions and evaluated every seven years. The PSPKAs identify and prioritize the necessary adaptation measures and actions at regional level.

• National Observatory for Climate Change Adaptation by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, which is an open network for the exchange of information and information. The National Observatory for Adaptation to Climate Change in collaboration with the National Meteorological Service, academic and research bodies, is developing a single national climate database, which is constantly updated to provide reliable forecasts and other relevant climate services.

It is also planned to take action to protect cultural and natural heritage from climate change, in the framework of the International Initiative undertaken by Greece in cooperation with the United Nations and the International Meteorological Organization.

C. Governance system

The National Climate Law provides for the establishment of specific bodies that will undertake the coordination and monitoring of measures to deal with the climate crisis.

Particularly:

Government (Inter-Ministerial) Committee for monitoring the progress towards climate neutrality, chaired by the Minister of Environment and Energy.

The responsibilities of the Commission are as follows:

• Coordination of government action for mitigation and adjustment.
• Annual recording of emissions per sector.
• Preparation of five-year coal sectoral budgets.

National Council for Climate Change Adaptation, chaired by the Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. Gives an opinion on any issue related to adaptation to climate change.

National Scientific Committee for Climate Change, which will act as technical and scientific advisor to the state.

The Ministry of Environment and Energy monitors the progress of emission reductions and the implementation of adjustment measures through an annual report, which is submitted to the Government Committee for the monitoring of the Climate Neutrality Process.

C. Measures

• Decommissioning of all lignite plants no later than December 31, 2028 with a review clause in 2023 (with the aim of acceleration), provided that the adequacy of power and security of supply is ensured.
• From 2023, the Municipalities undertake the elaboration of Municipal Plans for Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions (DISMEDA), with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% for the year 2025 and 30% for the year 2030, compared to the base year 2019. DISMEDA includes a detailed inventory of energy consumption and CO2 emissions for municipal buildings, stadiums, etc., municipal lighting, municipal water and sewerage facilities, municipal vehicles, etc. Monitoring is done through an annual report.
• Measures to enhance e-mobility:
– From 2023, 1/4 of the new private company cars registered must be purely electric vehicles or hybrid electric vehicles with external emission of pollutants up to 50g CO2 / km.
– From 2025 mandatory in Athens and Thessaloniki:
• All new taxis electric.
• 1/3 of the new rental vehicles in Athens and Thessaloniki are electric.
By 31 December 2023 the measures will be re-examined, with the aim of accelerating and expanding to additional areas, depending on the adequate availability of charging stations.
o From 2030, the new vehicles to be registered should be zero emissions.
• Measures for buildings:
o From 2023, ban on oil burners where there is a PV network in new buildings.
o From 2025 ban on the installation of heating oil burners.
o From 2030 ban on the use of heating oil burners.
o In special buildings (industries, warehouses, commercial buildings, etc.) with coverage of more than 500 sq.m. for which building permits are submitted from 1 January 2023, with the exception of tourist accommodation and temples, it becomes mandatory to install electricity generation systems from photovoltaic or thermal solar systems at a rate corresponding to at least 30% of the coverage. Exceptions are provided for individual buildings for morphological or aesthetic reasons or in areas with an institutionalized protection regime, such as traditional settlements and listed buildings.
• From 1 January 2023, the Environmental Impact Studies (EIA) must include a quantitative recording of reductions / increases in CO2 emissions that will come from the operation of the project.
O The measure concerns the following facilities:
– Environmental infrastructure systems (landfill, biological treatment, KDAW, etc.).
– Tourist facilities and urban development projects of the building sector of sports and leisure.
– Poultry farms, aquaculture.
– Industrial activities and related facilities.

All the above facilities are obliged to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 30% by 2030 compared to 2022, depending on the appropriate product / project unit, depending on the type of activity.

o It is possible to compensate with plantings / afforestation, green certificates, etc ..
o In order to monitor the measures, the companies that have such facilities should prepare annual reports. Non-submission incurs a fine which does not exceed 0.1% of the company’s annual revenue.
o The performance of the inspections of all installations is assigned by the installation operator to a certified verifier.
o Fine in case of non-achievement of the reduction target which does not exceed 0.5% of the annual income of the company.

• Measures to reduce emissions from businesses.

From 2023, specific companies will have to submit an annual report on their carbon footprint for the previous year. Reporting should be completed within the first quarter of each year.

O The measure concerns the following companies:

• Listed companies.
• Credit institutions.
• Insurance companies.
• Investment companies.
• Fixed and mobile telephony companies.
• Water supply and sewerage companies.
• Courier companies.
• Electricity and gas supply companies.
• Retail chains with more than 500 employees.
• Supply companies

The report includes voluntary targets and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report is verified by a certified body and is updated annually. There is a fine of € 100 per day of delay in case of non-submission, which does not exceed 0.1% of the company’s annual revenue.

• Emission reductions on non-interconnected islands:
o Emission reduction target by 80% compared to 2019.
o From 2030, the use of fuel oil for the production of electricity on non-interconnected islands is prohibited.

• Climate crisis adaptation measures:
Compulsory risk insurance (condition for the electrification of the building) from 2025 for new buildings in areas of high vulnerability, ie that are in vulnerable areas after plans prepared by the Regions. Areas of: The following are considered high vulnerability zones:
a. in potentially high flood risk areas as shown on the flood risk maps and fall into the high probability flood scenario,
b. near forest areas characterized by a high risk of fire, which are determined by a decision of the relevant Director General of Forests based on the type of forest vegetation, its density, the distance from the buildings and the climatic conditions of the area.

• Financial incentives:
o For the evaluation of the investment proposals, the European Tax Regulation and the carbon footprint of the installation are taken into account, in relation to the European average.
o Doubling depreciation in case of activities that have a significant contribution to mitigating climate change.