Enterprise Greece

Greece will have its own national pavilion at a UN climate change conference for the very first time when officials meet for a 28^th edition, COP28, in Dubai November 30 to December 12, sources have informed.

Over 25 events are planned by the energy ministry to promote Greek energy projects contributing to the energy transition, the sources noted.

The country’s presence at the conference with an independent pavilion comes following intensive efforts since last year. The Greek pavilion will provide a platform for crucial Greek energy projects.

At the preceding event, COP27, the then-Secretary General of Energy and Mineral Resources, Alexandra Sdoukou, now the deputy energy minister, had presented a GR-Eco Islands initiative, involving small islands that can serve as examples, models and case studies for green sustainability as a whole.

At COP28, the energy ministry will be organizing – with Sdoukou at the helm – a series of events showcasing, internationally, the country’s initiatives on sustainable development, green energy and energy transition. DESFA, the gas grid operator, IPTO, the power grid operator, and SEV, the Hellenic Association of Industrialists, will be involved, as will Enterprise Greece, the official investment and trade promotion agency of the Greek State.

Spanish renewable energy companies have expressed firm interest for further investments in the Greek market, making clear their intentions at an investment-promoting event held just days ago in Madrid and co-organized by Enterprise Greece, the official investment and trade promotion agency of the Greek State, and the Greek Embassy, with support from the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and the Spanish-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce.

Highlighting the event’s resounding success, officials of Enterprise Greece and the Greek Finance Ministry held direct talks with representatives of seven Spanish groups and agencies.

All in all, roughly 70 Spanish enterprises and institutional agencies took part in the conference.

Carlos Piñar Celestino, CEO of the Spanish group Elmya, one of the event’s speakers, offered a positive account of his company’s investment experience and success in Greece.

Both the Elmya chief executive and Luis Picas Asmarats, Investment Director of Hotel Investment Partners Group, another of the conference participants, spoke highly of Greece’s investment environment, the constructive role of Enterprise Greece as a one-stop-shop, and their cooperation with Greek government agencies.

The Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Greek Embassy in Madrid informed that executives of several Spanish companies expressed interest for further talks in order to push ahead with plans regarding their investment prospects in Greece.

Also taking part, Nikos Stamos, Enterprise Greece’s Director of Investment Attraction in Energy, Environment and Services, dedicated a large part of his speech to the RES sector, as well as the food and beverages industry.

Nikos Sergis, Director of the Public-Private Partnerships Unit of the Ministry of Finance, spoke extensively on the institutional framework of PPPs and investment opportunities that exist in Greece for public-private partnership projects, mainly infrastructure projects.

Greek pavilion for first time at upcoming COP28 conference

Firm Spanish interest for more RES investments in Greece