The political economy of green energy transition : the case of Greece
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Abstract
Renewable energy is essential to global climate change mitigation and sustainable development. Energy transitions are political, economic, and social processes that vary by region and institution. This dissertation examines the complex relationship between national energy reform, international climate commitments, economic restructuring, and geopolitical dynamics in Greece, a semi-peripheral EU country. The study uses policy and discourse analysis, statistical evaluation of energy market trends, and renewable energy project case studies to examine how structural constraints, institutional legacies, and competing interests shape Greece's energy transition. The EU and its funding mechanisms influence Greek energy governance, and political elites, energy companies, civil society, and local communities negotiate transition policies. The dissertation introduces green energy transition theory in the context of the Anthropocene and climate crises. It shows how energy system transformations are historically dependant on changing techno-economic paradigms and geopolitical factors. It then situates Greece in this global discourse, detailing its lignite dependence, regulatory reforms after the financial crisis, and EU climate goals. The dissertation empirically examines Greece's renewable energy trajectory, including wind and solar development, energy market liberalization, and green investment patterns. Remaining obstacles include bureaucratic inefficiency, public opposition, land-use issues, and energy poverty. The geopolitical portion of the study examines how external shocks like the Ukraine–Russia war and Eastern Mediterranean tensions affect Greece's energy security measures and regional posture. Greece has made headway in growing its renewable energy mix, but the transformation is fragmented and socially disputed. EU pressure has expedited policy alignment, while institutional inertia and varied capacities slow implementation. The dissertation warns against a technocratic, market-driven shift that ignores energy justice and public involvement. Instead, it proposes an inclusive, egalitarian, and context-sensitive energy transformation that addresses socio-spatial inequities and geopolitical risks. This dissertation advances scholarly discussions on sustainable energy governance, just transitions, and political economy's influence on semi-peripheral climate action by analysing the Greek situation.