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Well, it is day three of the COP twenty nine Climate Conference here in bakuaz de Verjan, and as world leaders discuss new ways to finance the climate change challenge, Donald Trump's return to the White House remains a topic of discussion. Joining me right now is Greek Prime Minister Kariakosminsuttaki.
Is.
It's wonderful to have you with us.
Thank you so much.
I've been here a couple of days now, and I've had talks with several people, from policymakers to some of the big leaders, and I've got to say it's difficult not to feel a little bit disheartened if you look at this state in the direction of travel. Many agencies are warning that this is going to be the warmest year on record. We continue to see the effects of climate change, reeking, disaster and havoc around the continents, even
in Europe. What is your feeling of where we are in climate's ambitions versus where we need to get to.
Going to these gatherings for many years now, and there seems to be a repeating pattern of ambitious targets and expectations.
Which eventually are not met.
On the other hand, if you look at Europe, important changes are being made towards the energy transition, but we all understand that these changes.
Need to be accelerated.
I come from a Militaranian country and the Meditarian is a hotbed for climate change.
You saw what happened in Spain. We had similar.
Floods, thank god, with a less loss of human life last year in Greece. So my concern is that as much as we focus on long term mitigation, and Greece is certainly doing its part, we need to place more emphasis on short term adaptation and helping our people cope with climate disasters, which we know will happen with increased frequency. So when we think about funding, this is not just
about helping the poorer countries with our energy transition. It is also helped be more mature economies dealing with the impact of climate change today, which makes a whole debate even more complicated.
Absolutely, but let me just ask you a grease specific question. Last year was the minute wildfires their droughts as well. I wonder if Greece has to put in a national strategy to deal with, say, adequate motor supply in the years ahead. Is that something that you're thinking about.
Well, first of all, when you look at the headline numbers, no country has brought down No European country has brought down its emissions faster since two thousand and five than Greece. We produce more than fifty percent of our electricity from renewables and this will go up to eighty percent within the next five to six years. So we're certainly doing our part in terms of making the energy transition work for Greece. At the same time, we understand that we
need to focus more on adaptation. We're spending more than two billion years in civil protection. Our number one obligation is to protect human lives when a catastrophic climate event strikes. But of course managing our water supplies is going to become a critical my priority for the foreseeable future. We know we're faced with extreme weather events and with droughts, and we have a very ambitious plan to make sure that we use our water supplies with a maximum amount
of efficiency. So for us in Greece, the climate crisis is already here. That is why I'm also advertating at the European level to devote more funds and cooperation to the question of adaptation and the Mediterranean countries will play a leading role in this initiative going forward as we talk about our inter European financing envelope for climate.
One of the conversation topics looming large here again in the Climate conference is the return of President Trump to the White House. The US, for the last couple of years have gained a lot of credibility on the climate front. There is a concern that some of that US leadership may fall to the wayside, given that President Trump's own stance is a bit more skeptical towards many of these climate ambitions and the climate agenda. Who do you think
will pick up the helm. Is it going to be Europe leading the charge forward on climate discussions or is it going to be China.
Well, first of all, let's see what President LEC. Trump will actually do, and I do hope that we won't see a repeat of the US leading, you know, the Paris Agreements.
Two quick points.
First of all, Europe is leading on the climate transition, but we account for six percent of global emissions, so we clearly cannot do this on our own. But we do understand that focusing on clean tech also from our perspective of strategic autonomy is going to be particularly important for Europe, and we do intend to dedicate significant funds
toward that direction. When I look at the US, there's national policy, but there's also a clean tech revolution taking place in the US, financed primarily by private by private capitals, or the US being a very innovative economy. I do expect that many innovative solutions which will help us address the climate prices will still come from the US.
Reading that you actually have had a call with the President ELEC. Trump, can you give us any insights into well, not specifically what was discussed, but what you were expecting in his second term visa v relations with Europe.
Well, I had a very friendly called with President Trump. I am a relatively experienced leader, so I had an opportunity to work with him during his first mandate, and of course I stressed the importance of the Greek US relations. Greece is a pillar stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and we've worked very closely with the US and I do
expect this relationship to continue. When I look at what's happening in the US from Europe's point of view, I think it emphasizes the need to work very hard to support our strategic autonomy and to make sure that the European economy becomes more competitive. Flip back to what Draugi told us in his report. We discussed this as the last European Council. I think it is time to move from words to actions. We have a very clear list of deliverables in terms of how we can make Europe
more competitive. I think there was already a sense of urgency that we're lagging behind even before the election of President Trump to the White House. I think we will address this question with a renewed sense of urgency.
Now, what if President Trump starts applying terrorifts on European goods? Will there be an incentive for Europe to retaliate? Then you enter into this tit for tat trade war.
I'm a big believer in free trade and I don't believe in teris in principle, and I think that a trade war would be bad both of the US and for Europe. I do think there is a possibility on the US European relationship to work with President Trump and to.
Find a win win a solution.
For example, Europe will be looking to import a more liquified natural gas from the US, and I'm talking about LERG because we understand that in the interim, until renewables hit their full potential, we will need a natural gas for the foreseeable futures. That will certainly help us in terms of our trade.
Balance with the US.
So I think there are ways to discuss with the US administration and to find the win win solutions. I'm a big believer in the Transatlantic partnership, and I think when we look at the big global challenges of the world the station, we need to continue to work strongly with the US to address those challenges.
Yeah.
Well, one thing that I do question is Trump's approach to multilateral frameworks, and we know from his first term that he's sort of preferred by lateral approach with leaders around the world. What does that do to your collective standing and stands visa v approaching some of these relationships specifically, you know, when you talk about trade and when you talk about defense, is Europe going to be unified?
I think that's a good question, and I think we all have, you know, bilateral relations with the US.
Preseradly has one.
We have a Defense Corporation agreement because you know, defense is a national prerogative. But when it comes to trade, I do need to point out that this is a competence of the European Commission, and we will negotiate with the US as a European Union, and of course we have much more leverage in doing so. I think you will see a combination of US strengthening our bilateral ties but also speaking with one voice when it comes to Europe.
The challenge for Europe is to first of all get to the point where we speak with one with one voice on these issues. But again, as I told you, there is a renewed sense of urgency in terms of focusing on European competitiveness, and we have a European Commission that is very much committed in moving towards that direction. So I'm cautiously optimistic that we will be able to deliver on our general.
So let me just stand on a Greece specific question on the economy. Greece actually has been growing much faster than other economies in Europe the last couple of years. Poor European countries is struggling. Career free countries are actually doing much better. Do you see Greece's economy as being able to continue and sustain the momentum that's in place.
I don't think many people would have placed their beds five or six years ago that Greece would be a country with very stable public finances, growing much faster than the Eurozone, bringing down our debt at a very very fast pace, attracting investment, creating new jobs. Yes, very optimistic about the Greek economy in the short two medium term. We have three more years in our term. We have a stable government that is able to deliver on reforms, we continue to bring in investment. We had a record
year when it comes to tourism. We're investing a lot in cutting edge sectors, including tech. So I think we have a very good growth story which is certainly attracting the interest of the international financial community, and I do expect Greek growth to continue to deliver.
My number one focus is on making.
Sure that we converge which Europe at a fast pace and we sort of make up for.
The lost ground of the last decade.
And of course bringing up our wages and addressing the cost of living crisis is my number one priority these days.
Fantastic Prime Minister, Thank you so much for speaking with us. That was the Greek Prime Minister Kiriakos Mitsotakis. Thank you very much.