ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD

A. DAGOUMAS

KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE EU: ENERGY SECURITY,

INTERNAL ENERGY MARKET AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE CASE OF GREECE

Athanasios Dagoumas

Abstract

This paper explores how the European policies towards the Triple Dividend, namely en-

suring Energy Security, implementing an Internal Energy Market, and tackling Climate

Change can be complemented by national policies. It specifically explores this comple-

mentarity between European and Greek national policies as they seek to incorporate:

the European Energy and Climate Package for 2030; enhance Energy Security through

diversification of Routes and Resources and the exploitation of Indigenous Resources;

implement critical energy infrastructure projects; moderate energy demand through

the financing of Energy Saving projects; and incorporate the European Target Model

toward an Internal Energy Market. The paper concludes that Greece can become a

significant regional energy hub in the South-East Region for the following reasons: (i)

key energy networks through Greece’s territory can ensure higher energy security for

South East and Central Europe and (ii) more efficient energy markets could lead to en-

ergy cost reductions, the exploitation of the indigenous resources in the region and the

meeting of environmental targets.

Keywords:

Energy security, EU triple dividend, Greece

I. Introduction

The recent ongoing conflict that unfolded between Russia and the Ukraine beginning

in 2014, not long after the previous crisis of 2009, continues to rank high on the list of

challenges facing European Leaders. Beyond the geopolitical, economic and humani-

tarian impacts, the Ukrainian crisis has once again highlighted the European Union’s

need to address issues of ‘energy security.’ Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk,

in fact, spearheaded the idea of an EU Energy Union

to achieve greater independ-

ence from Russia through the diversification of Europe’s energy mix and the creation

1. Poland calls for EU energy union, EurActiv.com, April 2, 2014, viewed on July 1, 2015,

ractiv.com/sections/energy/poland-calls-eu-energy-union-301303>.