Greece’s Path to Climate Neutrality Mapped in New Study

A new peer-reviewed study published in Nature’s special journal NPJ Climate Action provides the first fully integrated assessment of how Greece could transition to climate neutrality- and what stands in the way.

The article, “Assessing national climate-neutrality plans through a modelling nexus lens: the case of Greece,” led by Professor Phoebe Koundouri of the Athens University of Economics and Business and the University of Cambridge, introduces an interdisciplinary modelling framework that links energy, land use, food systems and water management. The aim is to capture how real-world policy decisions in one area can ripple across others, shaping whether the country meets its climate commitments by 2050.

Using a suite of models, including the FABLE Calculator for agriculture and land use, LEAP for energy, and WaterReqGCH, LandReqCalcGCH and BiofuelGCH for resource demands and biofuel potential, the study evaluates how Greece’s existing strategies interact. This integrated approach shows that meaningful decarbonization is achievable, but only under conditions of strong coordination and timely implementation across ministries and sectors. The analysis finds that Greece could reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions almost fivefold by mid-century if its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), agricultural policies and water strategies are jointly applied. Energy demand would fall by