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24.04.2024 – 14.18
A new vice-region on climate neutrality and resilience and a team in the Central Macedonia Region that will have a coordinating and executive role, a fund to grant companies active in carbon removal technologies and earth observation and artificial intelligence technology tools star in the action plan for a resilient, climate neutral and smart Central Macedonia.
The plan was developed over the last two years by a working group of the Technical Chamber of Greece – Central Macedonia Department and was presented today at an event, on the theme “Climate neutral, resilient and smart Central Macedonia”, organized by the TEE – Central Macedonia Department and the Region of Central Macedonia.
The conclusion of the working group, which results in an action plan for a resilient, climate-neutral and smart Central Macedonia, was presented by the member of the working group Sotiris Mylonas, who pointed out that the goal of the group was to create a new governance model, through the creation of a vice-region and an assessment model for prioritization and implementation of actions. As he said, the action plan for Central Macedonia is structured in three critical components, the achievement of climate neutrality, the strengthening of climate resilience and adaptability and the application of smart city technologies.
In 2023 the temperature rose as much as it has in a decade
Presenting data at the conference on climate change, Mattheos Santamouris, a professor at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, noted that from April 2023 to the present in Southeast Asia, the frequency of heatwaves increased not by 30% but by 30 times and the inhabitants of these areas face temperatures from 40 to 55 degrees Celsius. As for the global temperature, it increased by 0.2 degrees Celsius only in 2023 while the same increase was happening in a decade.
Necessary application of laws
The president of TEE / TCM Giorgos Tsakoumis referred to the result of the work of the working group and noted that the plan was sent to the Region of Central Macedonia. Regarding legislative initiatives on climate change, he commented that in terms of legislation and plans in Greece we are quite productive, however he emphasized that the laws should be implemented without calculating the political cost.
The Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia – Thrace Region) Stathis Konstantinidis pointed out that climate change has already become a crisis and its effects are painful, he underlined the need to take even braver and more drastic measures and added: “the conclusion is that we must run more quickly from wear and tear.”
The regional governor of Central Macedonia, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, emphasized that it is an absolute priority to secure funds for large-scale flood prevention projects from European resources. At the same time, he commented that the anti-flood infrastructures are not sufficient and added that major projects and interventions are needed especially in the Mediterranean basin and especially in the urban centers.
However, he characterized as positive messages the fact that Greece leads the EU in renewable energy sources, the fact that the Regions and Municipalities of Europe implement 90% of the EU’s actions for the environment and tackling climate change, but also the that the Region of Central Macedonia, according to an OECD report, is the first Region of Greece in terms of the goal of reducing greenhouse gases for 2030, even calculating that it has achieved a 55% reduction. Finally, he underlined the need for institutional changes in Greece to clarify responsibilities.
The mayor of Thessaloniki Stelios Angeloudis stated that in the context of the actions that must be implemented to deal with climate change “about two billion euros are needed for the city and about five hundred million for the Municipality of Thessaloniki” and added that “the time has come for the central state to proceed immediately to regulate the decentralized process in terms of resources and responsibilities”.
The importance of implementing the legislation was also underlined by Giorgos Kremlis, Honorary Director of the European Commission, Circular Economy and Insularity advisor. He commented that there is a regional strategy, however he added that local plans should be made at the municipal level.
The deputy governor of Thessaloniki, Costas Giutikas, emphasized that “if we have an extreme phenomenon in an urban fabric like Thessaloniki, it is clear that we will have very big problems, disasters and human lives will be at risk.” On the other hand, he noted that the Region over the years has implemented very serious anti-flooding projects and has shielded areas in 30 places in all the regional units.
Source: RES-MPE
