Mitsotakis: Europe and world must be more honest about trade-offs on energy transition path

Europe and the world need to be more honest about compromises on the path of energy transition, and each country must chart its own ambitious path, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the COP29 Leaders Summit in Baku, Report informs.

"We met at a crucial moment. The climate is changing, which adds more urgency to our discussions," he said.

According to him, Greece continues reforms towards green energy transition and expands the use of renewable sources. "However, going forward, we need to accelerate our actions even more. We face the question of ensuring a transition that our citizens will accept, that won't harm our companies, and will help avoid political friction in Europe," he said.

Mitsotakis emphasized that Europe is a leader in renewable energy, however, energy prices remain high. We are also the only region that imposes high emission taxes, he added.

"Zero emissions need to become a common goal. We need a smart green course. Europe and the world need to be more honest about compromises on the path of energy transition. In the long term, costs will decrease, but this transition isn't free. We must ask ourselves tough questions because in many ways this impacts our competitiveness. We can't hinder industrial prosperity; we need to approach these compromises carefully," the politician emphasized.

The Greek government head believes that each country must chart its own ambitious path and support new technologies.

"Our citizens face unprecedented climate disruptions. We need more resources for timely response to save lives and livelihoods. We need to help people and communities recover after disasters," he added.