The European Commission today approved Greece’s Social Climate Plan. It is the fifth and largest national plan approved so far under the Social Climate Fund, which will use revenue from emissions allowances to promote the clean transition and support vulnerable consumers and businesses. The plan was drawn up by the Greek authorities in cooperation with the European Commission.

According to the Commission, once implemented, the investments and reforms supported through Greece’s Social Climate Plan 2026-2032 are expected to help cut emissions by 811,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually by 2032.

The plan will mobilise a total of €4.77 billion by 2032, of which €3.57 billion (75%) comes from the EU and €1.2 billion (25%) from national resources.

The Commission concluded that Greece’s Social Climate Plan adequately addresses the social impact of extending the emissions trading system to buildings and road transport, under the new Emissions Trading System (ETS2).

Who benefits?

According to the European Commission, the plan will support 460,000 vulnerable households, reducing their dependence on fossil fuels through support for up to 62,000 energy renovations and the installation of 200,000 heat pumps and solar water heating systems.

The plan will also expand the country’s social housing stock, with the creation of 2,800 new energy-efficient social housing units.

In addition, €226 million will be allocated to renovating public student halls of residence, improving access to higher education for 5,930 vulnerable students.

A temporary heating allowance will also support up to 800,000 vulnerable households each year, to help cover heating costs following the launch of ETS2 (the new Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport).

300,000 vulnerable public transport users will benefit from the strengthening of public transport, through more than 200 new electric buses in urban areas with high transport vulnerability, 22 additional Athens Metro trains, new on-demand mobility services in remote areas, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

A social electric vehicle leasing programme will also allow 15,000 vulnerable car-dependent households to access electric vehicles at an affordable monthly cost, accelerating the shift to zero-emission mobility.

The plan places particular emphasis on accessibility and social inclusion, investing in more than 12,000 mobility devices, such as electric wheelchairs and electric scooters, a new dedicated school transport service for students with disabilities, and accessibility improvements at 33 railway stations and 85 Metro stations.

Finally, the plan supports 28,000 vulnerable micro-enterprises in their transition to cleaner buildings and mobility solutions, with €820 million allocated to reducing energy and transport costs through targeted energy efficiency interventions in buildings and subsidies.

Greece will be able to request its first payment from the European Commission once implementation of the plan has begun and the relevant milestones have been achieved.