Greece pushes green transition on its fragile islands

Greece this week signed a clean energy deal with the EU in a bid to fast-track the green transition on its fragile islands threatened by overtourism and climate change.

Hundreds of Greek islands are facing major challenges including water scarcity, said Dimitris Lianos, the mayor of Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades archipelago, where the deal was signed Thursday with the European Union and the European Investment Bank to finance decarbonisation projects.

The symbolism of signing it there was hard to ignore. Like on most of Greece's many islands, farms on Naxos are imperilled by drought.

The 1.6-billion-euro fund ($1.67 billion) will leverage the islands' main assets -- wind and sun -- to provide clean energy at affordable costs.

Investing in "green" energy sources will "allow the islands to achieve their ecological transition", said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

"Renewable energy will help the country become self-sufficient and reduce energy costs," he said.

Greek islands depend heavily on liquid fossil fuels for their electricity supply, taking a toll on the environment and driving up costs.

  Overtourism 

Athens is focusing on developing renewable energy infrastructure - offshore wind farms, energy storage systems and connecting the islands with the mainland for power supply.

Greece, which is at the forefront of global warming in the Mediterranean Basin, has been experiencing scorching summers and disastrous wildfires.

On many islands, residents are alarmed by water shortages and prolonged drought.

Even so, hostility to wind turbines is growing as it is in several European countries.

Environmental protection groups are also warning against...