On Friday 26 August, the European Commission approved the NSRF programme, Environment and Climate Change 2021/27, with a budget of 3.6 billion. euros. The programme is the responsibility of the Special Secretariat for the Management of ERDF and CF Programmes, of the Ministry of Development and Investments. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund.

Strategic objectives of the NSRF

The Environment and Climate Change Programme for the period 2021/27 has been designed under Policy Objective 2 of the NSRF 2021/27 to promote a greener Europe by setting as strategic objectives:

• The promotion of the energy transition to clean forms of energy and the use of RES to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
• Adaptation to climate change. The prevention and management of risks associated with the effects of climate change. But also with human interventions in ecosystems
• Urban regeneration with emphasis on the built and natural urban environment
• Sustainable multimodal urban mobility-micromobility
• The satisfaction of the requirements of the EU environmental acquis in the management of solid waste and water, integrating the parameters of the circular economy
• The conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources

The programme shall contribute with its resources to:

• 85.2% through ERDF actions
• 19.4% through CF actions in achieving climate change adaptation objectives
• while 18% through ERDF actions contribute to the objectives of preserving and protecting biodiversity

Adonis Georgiades, Minister of Development and Investment: programme objectives

"With the approval by the European Commission of the Operational Programme of the new NSRF Environment and Climate Change 2021/27, the Ministry of Development and Investment completed the entire approval process of the new NSRF, consistently leading the way across the European Union. Our goal is for money to fall into the Greek economy as quickly as possible. And to cover the consequences that war brings to the economic cycle in the best possible way with new investments and new jobs. With such moves the all-time investment record of 2022 will go even better in 2023."

Yannis Tsakiris, Deputy Minister of Development and Investment

"With the adoption and implementation of the Environment and Climate Change Operational Programme, we are laying the fundamental foundations for the immediate response to multidimensional crises such as environmental and humanitarian crises. Crisis resilience is what we basically calculated in the design of this operational programme but also what governs horizontally the intervention logic of all our development programs. In this context, we are committing significant amounts from the new program "Environment and Climate Change 2021/27" for projects:

• energy efficiency,
• promotion of renewable energy sources;
• energy infrastructure, which will contribute to tackling the energy crisis".

Dimitris Skalkos, General Secretary of Public Investments and NSRF

"With the approval of the new Environment and Climate Change Programme (ECCP), the planning of the sectoral programmes for the new programming period 2021/27 is completed. The new Programme will contribute to the successful adaptation of the Greek economy to the goal of climate-resilient growth in the next decade, which is a prerequisite for prosperity in the new environment. The new Programme will finance investment projects and actions in the areas of:

• "clean" energy and renewable energy sources (RES),
• energy saving and efficiency,
• the circular economy,
• the promotion of electromobility,
• the rational management of water and waste, and
• the protection of biodiversity.

With the immediate activation of the actions of the PEKA in the coming period and with its synergies with other available financial instruments (Regional Programmes, Just Development Transition, Project Greece 2.0), we can bebe reasonably optimistic about the effective utilization of Community resources in the implementation of the Greek plan of the Greek Green Deal Congratulations are due to those who - central government, institutions, social and economic partners - contributed to its successful and timely completion."

George Zervos, Special Secretary for the Management of ERDF & CF Programmes

"With the approval by the EU of the "Environment and Climate Change 2021/27 (EC)" Programme, all the programmes under the responsibility of the Special Secretariat for the ERDF-CS FP of the Ministry of Development and Investment ". The approval of the Program is the result of the methodical effort of the competent Managing Authority, under the coordination and directions of the Political Leadership of the Ministry of Development and Investments, after a long negotiation with the services of the European Commission.