Amsterdam, 10 November 2015

Renewable energy boosts efficiency, creates jobs and makes good economic sense for countries around the Mediterranean, according to new reports. The governments of Croatia, Greece, Italy and Spain could accelerate the energy revolution by enabling massive small-scale investments of renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions.[1]
New studies commissioned by Greenpeace Croatia[2], Greece[3], Italy[4] and Spain[5] are proving that in different regions of Southern Europe, renewable energy can be locally produced and owned, it can create thousands of jobs, help green these economies and inspire more environmentally sound tourism. Clean energy has a big potential for domestic energy production in the region.

Dejan Savić, Coordinator of the Solutions for Mediterranean project at Greenpeace CEE, said:

“If we're honest about the economic challenges in the region, we can be honest about the abundant renewable energy potential here. Building renewable energy capacity, which guarantees new jobs, enhances a new sustainable economy, protects ecosystems and mitigates climate change is a no-brainer and it’s time political leaders see it.”

“Energy transition based on renewable investments is especially efficient and beneficial to societies when it starts to enable citizen to get involved and invest into projects. By adopting mass instalment of solar and wind power plants from renewable energy production, many benefits would be transmitted to the households, hotels, schools and farms,” added Savić.

In times when most Southern European countries battle with economic struggles, governments are responding with plans for new coal power plants and offshore oil-drilling in spite of irrefutable scientific proof that we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.

Just weeks ahead of the Climate conference in Paris, Greenpeace is providing a clear path for Southern European governments to take action and lead us towards a world in which energy is safer, cleaner, cheaper and accessible to all, where air and water will be cleaner and where temperature rises will stay below.