Environment

The Municipality of Athens is responsible for more than 1,300 distinct green spaces, covering a total area of approximately 4,000 hectares, distributed throughout the city. Indicatively, from January to September 2024, more than 3,000 trees were planted, adding greenery to neighborhoods and increasing oxygen levels in the city, making the annual target of 5,000 new trees achievable.

Across all seven municipal districts, greenery is being enhanced with tree species fully adapted to Athens’ urban environment. Bitter orange trees, acacias, hibiscus, olive trees, plane trees, mulberries, oleanders, and pine trees are among the most characteristic species that beautify the city, provide cooling relief, and contribute to its sustainability.

Urban greenery is the most effective measure for addressing climate change and the urban heat island effect. At the same time, it offers significant opportunities for recreation for residents and visitors alike.

Through the updated Integrated Climate Adaptation Action Plan, the Municipality of Athens demonstrates its firm commitment to the fight against climate change. This plan will protect Athenians from the rapidly accelerating impacts of climate change, while also contributing to the necessary reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring a sustainable future for the city.

The Athens Climate Pact

Through the Athens Climate Pact, the Municipality of Athens seeks to collaborate with institutions, organizations, and citizens to transform the city into a climate-neutral city by 2030. This entails an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from city activities, while simultaneously making Athens greener, more beautiful, cleaner, socially cohesive, and economically sustainable.

The Athens Climate Pact constitutes a Green Social Contract aimed at making the city more human-centered, strengthening social cohesion, improving neighborhoods, reducing spatial inequalities, creating new green jobs, reinforcing responsible economic models, and enhancing resilience against risks such as floods, heatwaves, and pollution.

The Pact is signed not only by the Municipality, but also by institutions and citizens, serving as a political (non-legal) commitment to policies, practices, and actions that support the city’s transition to climate neutrality, resilience, green and social transformation, inclusion, climate and social justice, and participatory governance.

It is accompanied by a Climate Action Plan to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, as well as an Investment Plan to secure the necessary financial resources and tools.

The European Framework

The European Union has adopted an ambitious set of measures to address the climate crisis through the European Green Deal [1], aiming to:

• Achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

• Decouple economic growth from resource use

• Ensure that no one is left behind during the transition

As an intermediate milestone, the EU has set a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, supported by the Fit for 55 policy package [2].

Achieving these goals relies heavily on renewable energy, energy efficiency (especially in buildings), sustainable mobility, circular economy practices, near-zero waste, nature-based solutions, land restoration, and the enhancement of green spaces’ role in carbon sequestration.

European Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities

Cities play a leading role in this transition, as they host the majority of EU citizens and account for a significant share of energy consumption and emissions.

Within this context, the EU launched the mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030”, aiming to support at least 100 cities in achieving climate neutrality by 2030, while serving as innovation hubs and transferring best practices to other cities across Europe.

At the same time, these cities will function as innovation hubs and will transfer good practices and know-how to other EU cities to help them, in turn, become climate-neutral by 2050. The program began in 2021 with a call for expressions of interest, to which 377 EU cities initially applied.

Through this competitive process, the Municipality of Athens was among the 112 cities selected in May 2022 to participate in the Mission, together with emblematic European cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid, and Dublin, as well as five other Greek cities: Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Kalamata, Kozani, and Trikala.

To become full members of the program and receive the European Mission Label (EU Mission Label), selected cities must submit an extensive climate strategy called a Climate City Contract. The Contract includes an Action Plan, an Investment Plan, as well as the city’s Climate Neutrality Commitments, which are documented in this document for Athens.

Since 2008, Athens has participated in the global network of climate cities “C40 Cities”, which supports cities to act together to address climate change through the exchange of scientific knowledge, experience, expertise, and best practices. The Municipality has also signed the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, committing to address climate change and increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources (RES) in its areas. In addition, the Municipality of Athens was selected to participate in the Global Network of 100 Resilient Cities (now the Global Resilient Cities Network), and signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact in 2015, aiming at the development of sustainable food systems while reducing waste and their impact on climate change. Given that the tourism sector significantly affects the city, the Municipality of Athens also collaborates with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in order to become a truly sustainable tourism destination.

Alongside the signing of commitments, data collection, planning, and the creation of participatory structures to achieve climate neutrality, the Municipality promotes significant organizational changes that will help advance these policies jointly with institutions and citizens:

• In 2016, the Office of Resilience and Sustainability was established as a tool of the Municipality of Athens for data collection and the promotion of actions toward sustainability and climate change adaptation. In 2018, this office was upgraded to the Department of Resilience and Sustainability of the Directorate of Strategic Planning, Resilience, Innovation & Documentation. Through coordinated actions, Athens has been systematically recording the city’s emissions since 2014.
• In 2017, the Municipality formulated the first Climate Action Plan in Greece, within the framework of the Resilience Strategy, which provided for a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
• In 2022, the Municipality of Athens developed the Climate Action Plan aiming at climate neutrality by 2050, with the support and funding of the C40 Cities network. The plan provided for a 61% reduction in emissions, with 2018 as the base year.
• In 2024, the Municipality of Athens committed to increasing its ambition with the new Climate Action Plan in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, with 2019 as the reference year, and to take an active role to achieve this 20 years earlier.

In the new climate plan 2024–2030, the Municipality’s action is decisive in moving the city from a current emissions reduction of around 26% (mainly due to lignite phase-out / increased role of RES, but also “energy poverty”) to an 80% reduction by 2030, through active intervention in energy upgrades, energy production from RES with citizen participation and benefit, reduction of private car use and increase of mobility via green public transport, cycling and walking, as well as the creation of a stock of municipal housing with passive (energy-efficient) buildings. The plan also provides for active spatial intervention, with emphasis on neighborhoods, for nature restoration, ventilation and cooling of the city, creation of green and blue infrastructures, green corridors connecting areas, green buffer zones against urban overheating and heatwaves, pollution and flood risk, and integrated management of rainwater, groundwater and greywater.

The new Climate Plan emphasizes joint implementation with institutions and citizens. The contribution of the Municipality itself to greenhouse gas emissions is around 2–5% (from municipal buildings and vehicles), or approximately 20% if emissions from waste collection, transport and disposal are also included. To achieve an 80% reduction in emissions, broad mobilization and cooperation are required at all levels of governance and among institutions. For this purpose, the Climate Plan was developed participatorily, through the operation of the Climate Forum and the Youth Climate Assembly, encouraging youth participation in climate change issues. These new participatory structures will gradually expand to the level of municipal districts. At the same time, a long-term program “Climate Schools Athens 2030” will begin, in cooperation with the educational community and civil society, so that schools play a decisive and active role in climate action and in connecting the community with the municipality as an institution.

The climate plan is therefore also a plan for climate justice and social cohesion, economic revitalization toward sustainability, neighborhood revitalization, reduction of infrastructure gaps between neighborhoods, elimination of energy poverty, and promotion of social (alongside green, technological, and digital) innovation. It is not only an energy or technical program of interventions in energy issues (change of energy production methods) and energy efficiency. It is also a plan for a just green–energy transition, as it aims to produce a significant share of the city’s energy needs through the Athenian Energy Alliance and the FAETHON Energy Community and neighborhood energy communities, particularly around schools and other key hubs, involving not only municipal bodies but also citizens and social, professional, and environmental organizations. The benefits will include the production of green energy as well as citizens’ and businesses’ access to affordable, stable-cost renewable energy, developed largely on buildings and other city spaces.

Our actions in 2024

To move from today (2024) to 2030, many steps and projects will be required, including pilot ones:

• Within 2024, the Office for Addressing Energy Poverty was established to provide assistance to vulnerable households. With the support of the C40 Cities network, visits by energy advisors to 50 vulnerable households are being organized.
• The ASCEND pilot program was submitted and approved to highlight a neighborhood as an example of what we aim to achieve at city-wide level.
• From December 2024, the “Cooling Heaven” program will begin, which provides for water-based nature-based solution projects.
• The Athenian Energy Alliance was created, a collaboration with more than 17 neighboring and related municipalities, aiming at establishing energy communities for the production of clean energy, available at low or zero cost to the most vulnerable citizens. The FAETHON Energy Community of the Municipality of Athens has already been created.
• We are proceeding with a comprehensive program of energy interventions (shading, courtyard planting, replacement of lighting with LED) and installation of photovoltaic systems in 52 schools as well as in municipal buildings, and expansion of electric vehicle charging stations.
• In the direction of strengthening green infrastructure, more than 3,000 trees were planted from January to September 2024, and it is now possible to monitor all tree plantings in real time through the “green” application Athens Trees. In addition, the first phase of recording 90,000 trees in Athens into a geodatabase was completed, and a new regulation for green infrastructure was established, strengthening the Municipality’s commitment to a sustainable and green future.

Target: Climate Neutrality by 2030

The Athens Climate Pact is based in part on previous plans (2017, 2022) as well as on a series of consultations organized over the past fifteen years with stakeholders from Athens and city networks to which Athens belongs. However, the Athens Climate Pact 2024 significantly increases ambition by bringing the climate neutrality target from 2050 to 2030, together with an updated package of actions and investments required to implement this goal. At the same time, it foresees an active role for the municipality, institutions, and citizens in the changes that must be made, and therefore seeks to create empowerment structures for climate action (new organizational structures within the municipality, education, research) as well as significant new financial instruments so that citizens are not left behind. It thus pursues a just, inclusive green transition of the city, the economy, and neighborhoods.

The development of the Pact was supported by the EU-funded Net Zero Cities program, which has developed a comprehensive process to support cities participating in the “Cities Mission”, as well as by the Green Fund.

Although the process of drafting the Pact was short, many consultation activities have already taken place with stakeholders, including 3 Climate Forums in May, July, and September 2024, as well as consultations in municipal communities and with professional and social organizations. These activities will continue as the Pact is continuously updated in the future.

According to the definition of climate neutrality pursued in the “Cities Mission”, the emissions reduction target is set at 80% compared to a “Business as usual” scenario, assuming that the Municipality had no further climate policy after 2019.

This target will be achieved mainly through:

• Extensive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in electricity generation, including through the production of green, affordable energy by the municipality and citizens.
• Energy upgrades in the building sector (municipal buildings, residential buildings, commercial buildings), including through the promotion of new financial instruments accessible to all (without exclusions as today), and the use of water-permeable and cooler materials (to reduce urban overheating), promotion of a stock of municipal housing with energy-efficient and affordable buildings.
• Interventions in transport/mobility aiming at sustainable modes.
• The new strategic direction toward (almost) zero waste and green–circular economy.

The remaining emissions (20%) will be covered through nature-based solutions, with expansion of green and blue infrastructures of the city and planting and reforestation activities in the wider area, given the forest fires of the past decade (almost 40% of forests and forest areas in Attica have burned). More specifically, the plan provides for:

• Water saving and reuse, treatment and reuse of treated wastewater, strengthening aquatic ecosystems, highlighting the route of the Hadrianic Aqueduct and using water for city needs, utilization of groundwater and rainwater.
• Large-scale mass plantings, green corridors and green infrastructure for ventilation and cooling of the city, including an extensive plan for land expropriations, nature restoration, upgrading of hills and groves, strengthening and restoration of the role of streams (Podoniftis, Prophet Daniel, Ilissos, Eridanos, etc.).
• Cooperation with other institutions for synergies to achieve Athens’ climate targets.

The climate neutrality target covers all administrative territories within the Municipality and all sources and sectors of greenhouse gas emissions. Facilities within the Municipality’s geographical boundaries that participate in the Emissions Trading System (ETS), such as power plants or industries, are not included.

Through achieving climate neutrality by 2030, Athens will reap significant environmental, social, and economic benefits:

• The Municipality can contribute not only to increasing the use of renewable sources through installing photovoltaics on rooftops, but also reduce its energy costs, offer green, affordable energy protecting citizens and SMEs from high energy prices, and contribute to the creation of new green jobs.
• Energy upgrades of city buildings and spatial interventions for cooling Athens will reduce energy costs for households and businesses, while reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling. This will also improve living conditions and reduce health risks related to extreme heat and pollution from gas and oil use for heating.
• Reducing car traffic will contribute to lowering transport emissions, while improving air quality and increasing safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, freeing space for social interaction, neighborhood revitalization, mental well-being, play, recreation, and exercise.
• In addition, addressing emissions from waste through prevention, reuse, recycling, composting, and circular economy will reduce not only climate-altering emissions but also costs for collection, transport, and final disposal, while keeping streets clean.
• Planting more trees, restoring nature, and investing in green and blue (water) infrastructure will reduce risks from extreme heat and flooding, strengthening the city’s resilience.

The Investment Plan for Climate Neutrality 

Athens’ participation in the EU “Cities Mission” and the acquisition of the EU Mission Label opens new (including financial) prospects for the city, providing access to significant funding and participation in innovation projects and actions.

The Investment Plan for Athens’ Climate Neutrality is also a plan for addressing social and economic challenges.

Participation in the “European Mission for 100 Climate-Neutral Cities” not only strengthens Athens’ profile as a pioneering city in the fight against the climate crisis, but also attracts new investments for the benefit of citizens and the city overall, as there is already strong interest in collaborations and participation in innovative financing schemes. To identify new, innovative, and inclusive financial instruments beyond existing programs (NSRF, national and municipal resources that are insufficient or subject to other constraints), a Climate Investment Council will be created with the participation of the Municipality, financial institutions, and city stakeholders, strengthening the experience, knowledge, and capacity of municipal services.

In addition, the Municipality will receive continuous, extensive, and tailored support from the Net Zero Cities program, benefiting from networks, new institutions (Capital Hub, Nature Capital, Social Climate Fund, etc.) and knowledge exchange programs with other leading European cities, further enhancing Athens’ capacity to lead the fight for climate neutrality, sustainability, and resilience, while gaining access to significant resources at European level.

The actual cost of investments required to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 (i.e., an 80% reduction in emissions compared to the 2019 base year) is estimated at approximately €6.5 billion (based also on the European Commission model). However, it should be noted that Athens faces significant challenges in the context of climate change (temperature increase of 3.5–5 degrees, burned areas in Attica due to fires, lack of significant environmental infrastructure, need for nature restoration, integrated management of rainwater, groundwater and greywater, etc.), and therefore additional interventions are required for city cooling, ventilation, and creation of green corridors, implying significant additional investments in the coming years, which will be costed in detail in the near future.

The objective of making Athens a climate-neutral city requires significant financial resources, but this should be seen as an investment for the benefit of citizens and the city, as well as an act of risk reduction and prevention against the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. Given the projected increase in average city temperature by 1.5 to 4.9 degrees Celsius and increasing flood risks, Athens’ social and economic sustainability depends on strengthening its defenses against these phenomena. It has been estimated that the absence of ambitious prevention and adaptation measures could cause damage exceeding three to ten times the investments required for climate neutrality and adaptation to new climate conditions. Even without the climate crisis, major investments would be required to restore the area’s microclimate, which has been degraded by the way Attica developed and by major past destructions (stream covering, forest burning, concreting of natural water and ventilation routes, etc.).

The GIS maps we have created using scientific data provide valuable information to plan our interventions based on scientific and social data, prioritizing sectors and areas most affected by climate change impacts and the urban heat island effect.

Strategic priorities

Guided by the European Net Zero Cities program supporting the “Cities Mission”, the Municipality conducted a scenario simulation exercise to identify climate actions across different sectors that can reduce emissions by 80% by 2030. This exercise was carried out using the NZC economic model provided by Net Zero Cities. The model simulated various measures or “levers” in the building, transport, and waste sectors of the Municipality to assess their effectiveness in reducing emissions (e.g., in heating or electricity generation). The model also simulated potential benefits for the city, such as improved air quality, and provided an indication of the investments required.

For Athens, most climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) originate from electricity consumption in city buildings, followed by liquid fuel combustion for transport (e.g., cars, motorcycles, buses, garbage trucks, trucks, coaches, etc.), heat production for buildings (e.g., oil and gas boilers), emissions from decomposition of organic waste in landfills, and electricity demand for transport (metro, trolleybus, tram).

Greenhouse gas emissions within the boundaries of the Municipality of Athens were estimated at 1,935 kilotonnes of CO2e in 2021, or approximately 3 tonnes of CO2e per capita. These values are calculated based on the “BASIC” reference level of the international GPC Protocol[8]. Compared to other major European cities, Athens in 2021 (latest GHG inventory) lies between London and Lisbon and below the European city average of 4.56 kilotonnes CO2e per capita (reference level “BASIC”)[9]. Specifically:

1. 64% of 2021 GHG emissions are due to energy consumption in buildings and street lighting.
2. 22% of GHG emissions are due to transport and mobility within the Municipality of Athens.
3. 14% of GHG emissions are due to wastewater management and disposal of solid waste in landfills.

It is noted that the Net Zero Cities program requires the above methodology for calculating the Municipality of Athens’ emissions reduction target. However, per capita emissions rise to 3.8 tonnes CO2e for 2021 if emissions from all through-traffic vehicles passing through the Municipality and emissions from electricity grid losses are included (reference level “BASIC+”). Correspondingly, if emissions for all residents of Greece are calculated, this figure rises to 5.5 tonnes CO2e per capita [10]. It is therefore clear that beyond the formal target of the Net Zero Cities program, the Municipality of Athens must increase its ambition to serve as an example for other municipalities and for emissions reduction at national level.

Strategic priorities of the Athens Climate Pact

1. Covering 88% of the Municipality’s electricity demand from renewable energy sources, with 16% of demand covered through active participation and projects of the Municipality.
2. Energy upgrading of buildings within the Municipality so that at least 34% reach energy class B or higher. This percentage is 90% for municipal buildings, 50% for tertiary sector buildings, and 30% for residential buildings. To truly achieve this target, new, innovative, and accessible financial instruments and structures involving the Municipality and institutions will be developed to support households and businesses
3. Reduction of car and motorcycle traffic within the Municipality by 50% compared to 2019. Active support for walking, cycling, clean public transport, municipal transport, and spaces for play and social interaction. The goal is neighborhoods where citizens can carry out most errands and activities within 15 minutes, walking, cycling, or using clean, green, and efficient public transport.
   Μείωση της κυκλοφορίας αυτοκινήτων και μοτοσυκλετών εντός του Δήμου κατά 50% σε σύγκριση με το 2019.
4. Increase of recycling and composting to 80–85%, prevention actions to reduce food waste by 30% compared to 2019, and strong promotion of the circular economy.
   
5. Planting, in cooperation with institutions and citizens, more than 35,000 trees within the Municipality by 2030. Active policy for green and blue infrastructures, nature-based solutions, and restoration of 20% of nature in the city. Digital recording of all trees and their data-driven management with a clear picture of their condition. Implementation of the new Green Infrastructure Regulation.
6. Integrated water management strategy to prevent flooding and cool the city, emphasizing green infrastructure for reuse and soil absorption, highlighting water in the city, restoring water routes, reducing network water consumption and saving energy. Given drought, increased water demand due to high temperatures, and water scarcity, water saving and use of rainwater, groundwater, and greywater—even post-treated wastewater—contribute to adaptation and reduction of energy consumption for water treatment and transport. We must also protect water resources and aquatic ecosystems across a vast area currently or potentially affected by Attica’s water demand.
7. Creation of corridors for city ventilation and cooling, restoration as far as possible of the microclimate, addressing the urban heat island effect.
8. Creation of a stock of municipal housing with nearly zero-energy buildings and active participation of the Municipality in upgrading a significant number of apartment buildings and neighborhoods currently suffering from overheating.
   
9. Strengthening of the green, sustainable, and circular economy, job creation, and reinforcement of research, education, and training. A special role for the social and cooperative economy in all actions.
   
10. The Climate Plan is a tool of social policy, addressing the city’s climate, environmental, social, and economic challenges in a coherent and fair way. It will also significantly improve public health and reduce the thousands of premature deaths caused by pollution and extreme temperatures. All measures aim at a green, clean, sustainable, resilient, and beautiful Athens for the benefit of citizens and the environment, social cohesion, and social justice in neighborhoods, without exception.

It is evident that a very important goal is to almost fully eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from electricity demand. Beyond being the sector with the highest emissions, energy efficiency and clean electricity will help reduce emissions in other sectors as well, such as through electrification of vehicles and heat pumps in buildings.

At the same time, following the major destruction of forests and forest areas in Attica and the evident sharp increase in average temperature in our climate zone and the waves of very high temperatures affecting Athens, the role of green and blue (water) infrastructure, greenery in general, city cooling and ventilation through nature-based solutions has been significantly upgraded in the Athens Climate Plan 2024–2030.

Athens faces the challenge of achieving its ambitious climate targets in less than seven years, despite limitations imposed by the Municipality’s limited competences in key infrastructures and policies such as the electricity grid and public transport system. However, the municipal authority reaffirms its commitment to change,

– by taking initiatives in areas under its direct competence, such as improving public buildings, waste management, and promotion of green and blue infrastructure, while

– cooperating, applying pressure, and claiming interventions from other institutions where it currently has no competences.

The Municipality, with dynamism and determination, is preparing the ground for broader changes, working closely with all relevant city stakeholders. The Municipality’s climate actions will be implemented based on the Theory of Change of Net Zero Cities, focusing on innovation, technology, participatory governance, social participation, and capacity building. This integrated approach not only strengthens Athens’ resilience but demonstrates the city’s determination to lead the path toward climate neutrality, providing a sustainable and resilient future for its citizens.

Short-term objectives 

Examples of short-term objectives (2–3 years) for each sector are as follows:

• Energy systems: Photovoltaic systems in most Athens schools and municipal buildings. Supportive measures to strengthen energy communities and rooftop photovoltaics, such as financial tools (e.g., green bonds), promotional campaigns, incentives, “one-stop shops”. FAETHON Energy Community of the Municipality of Athens. Capacity building and cooperation with neighboring municipalities through the Athenian Energy Alliance and the newly established Climate and Energy Academy, as well as stakeholder participation through the Climate Forum.
• Built environment: Energy upgrades in school complexes and municipal buildings with low energy performance. Promotional campaigns and incentives for energy upgrades. Support programs for adoption of heat pumps and solar water heaters. Office for Addressing Energy Poverty. Strategy for energy-efficient municipal housing. Creation of financial support tools for residential and commercial building upgrades (municipal “save energy” program).
• Transport and mobility: Traffic study and measures to reduce traffic and parking in central Athens and supportive measures to reduce car traffic. Measures to optimize urban freight logistics (e.g., loading programs). Creation of pilot Superblocks and 15-minute neighborhoods, with a recent pilot being the European ASCEND project under the NZC Pilot Cities Programme. Expansion of the cycling network. Upgrade and widening of sidewalks. Electric vehicle chargers in municipal buildings. More than 150 electric buses in the city. Planning of municipal transport with electric buses.
• Waste and circular economy: Composting bins available in neighborhoods and organized composting at household, neighborhood, and mechanical levels. Expansion of the recycling network (including textile recycling bins). Reduction of the environmental footprint of waste collection operations (e.g., optimization of collection logistics). Awareness campaigns on reduction, prevention, reuse, composting, recycling, and responsible consumption. Supportive measures for citizens and businesses for source separation (especially restaurants).
• Green infrastructure & nature-based solutions: More than 35,000 new trees within the Municipality. Improvement of existing green spaces in the city. Protection and restoration of streams and water bodies of Athens. Educational activities on nature-based solutions with municipal departments, services, citizens, and other stakeholders. Increased funding sources for green infrastructure within the Municipality. New staff in the Directorate of Greenery and Urban Fauna and training in nature-based solutions, recording of all trees and data updates in a geodatabase. Campaigns to increase public participation in tree planting, protection, and other activities.

Process and principles

There is no single approach that fits all cities in achieving climate neutrality by 2030. This Athens Climate Pact plan constitutes the first step toward achieving this goal, will be further elaborated in the near future, and will be continuously updated over the coming years. This process will be consistently monitored to understand barriers, take corrective measures to improve the process, and further adapt the Pact to developments and the needs of municipal citizens.

The implementation, monitoring, and further development of the Athens Climate Pact will be guided by participatory processes with the public and stakeholders, such as professional organizations, research centers, external consultants, and civil society organizations. Implementation will also be guided by the experience and expertise of other cities participating in the program. In addition, the Municipality will undertake a series of critical actions to facilitate the process, such as new institutional and organizational planning within the Municipality, pilot programs in cooperation with academia and various stakeholders, and pursuit of extensive coordination and cooperation with central government, the Region, and other city actors (transport authorities, EYDAP, electricity grid DEDDIE, etc.).

In particular, regarding stakeholder and citizen participation, we have already created the Athens Climate Forum with participation from representatives of more than 60 professional, social, and environmental organizations, political and academic institutions. Similarly, we have created the Athens Youth Climate Assembly to encourage active participation of pupils, students, and youth in climate planning and city action. We will continue both initiatives to monitor the implementation process of the Climate Pact, identify problems, and evaluate successes and failures. In addition, all municipal projects will include a participatory design and implementation approach, starting with the ongoing EU-funded GreenInCities project. The ASCEND pilot project (starting September 2024) will also develop a new participatory methodology to be used by the Municipality for urban development and climate resilience. Stakeholder participation will also be part of the EUI-IA Cooling Havens project (starting December 2024), which aims to improve blue and green infrastructure in Athens.

We will also proceed with internal reorganization of the Municipality by upgrading the directorate for climate policy and civil protection. We will create a horizontal implementation and monitoring team with representatives from deputy mayor offices, as well as services responsible for project planning and execution, policy development, and will seek to review all plans and projects based on climate and risk prevention dimensions.

Relevant services required to integrate the climate dimension include the Directorate of Strategic Planning, Resilience, Innovation & Documentation, the Financial Unit, the Directorate of Building Infrastructure, the Electrical Directorate, the Mechanical Directorate, the Directorate of Roads, Sewerage & Public Spaces, the Directorate of Cleanliness & Recycling, the Directorate of Urban Planning & Urban Environment, the Directorate of Greenery & Urban Fauna, the Directorate of Social Solidarity, and the Directorate of Municipal Clinics & Public Health.

To monitor implementation of the Climate Pact, the Municipality will also create a digital platform enabling systematic collection and visualization of key open data, helping translate climate goals into action. The initial platform through the European ARSINOE program will present data on the targets and indicators of the Climate Pact and the 2024 Climate Action Plan and track progress. Beyond municipal indicators, the platform will also allow other influential city stakeholders to voluntarily monitor their actions, systematically collecting data and supporting further planning.

To secure further funding for implementation of the Climate Pact, we will establish the Climate Investment Council with participation from the Municipality, professionals, other stakeholders, and financial institutions. The objective will be to identify funding sources and implement the investment plan for achieving climate neutrality. Implementation of the Pact will be inclusive, without creating financial or other exclusions, and we will seek to ensure access for citizens, SMEs, and social enterprises to fair financial instruments.

Even though the Municipality is not yet ready to draw up a full “climate budget” with indicators and data to monitor progress towards achieving the 2030 climate neutrality target, we will train municipal staff and develop expertise on this issue in the near future.

Bridging climate, environmental, social and economic goals 

Beyond supporting Athens’ climate neutrality by 2030, the implementation of the Climate Pact is an opportunity to bridge climate and environmental goals with social and economic objectives. The Pact can serve as a Green Social Contract, encompassing climate actions with a high positive social impact, such as reducing energy poverty through the participation of citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises in municipal energy communities, and through measures to increase the energy efficiency of the building stock. Other examples include the creation of green jobs and the revitalization of the local economy, as well as the reduction of health problems caused by poor air quality through the strengthening of Athens’ green infrastructure. Within this framework, the core principles guiding the implementation of the Pact will be the following:

• Linking climate action with social justice and high social impact, social and green innovation, and participation (no one will be left behind).
• Climate policy as a tool for modern social policy, climate justice, and the sustainability of the local society and economy.
• Equality, participation, and an active role for everyone, including young people, women, and vulnerable groups.
• Integrated coherence between municipal policies on climate, environment, society, and culture.
• Support and reskilling of individuals affected by the transition to a greener model of work.
• Better use of financial, human, and natural resources with a lower ecological footprint and higher social value.
• Improved quality of life for all at the neighbourhood level and reduction of inequalities between the city’s neighbourhoods.

Process and principles 

• The implementation of the Athens Climate Pact will be facilitated by a new institutional and organisational design within the Municipality, the creation of a Climate Investment Council, pilot projects, cooperation with the research community, and the pursuit of enhanced coordination with central government, the Region, organisations, and stakeholders.
• The implementation of the Athens Climate Pact will be facilitated by a new institutional and organisational design within the Municipality, the creation of a Climate Investment Council, pilot projects, cooperation with the research community, and the pursuit of enhanced coordination with central government, the Region, organisations, and stakeholders.
• Monitoring, progress evaluation, improvement and corrective actions, as well as the further development of the plan, will be guided by extensive participation of stakeholders and citizens, as well as by cooperation with other cities.
• The implementation of the Pact will also be supported by a comprehensive, open, and accessible digital platform that will display climate targets and progress towards them.

• The principles governing the implementation of the Pact include social justice, the achievement of high social impact, participation, the use of integrated policies, and the reduction of inequalities across Athens’ neighbourhoods.