Strategic planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation: the case of Greece
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
ISSN: 1756-8692
Article publication date: 17 August 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to put forward a methodological framework to provide a comparative assessment of available mitigation and adaptation strategies against climate change. Mitigation options aim at minimizing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, in an effort to reduce the rate of increase in global temperature. On the other hand, adaptation options relate to the ability of the natural or human systems to handle the impact of the climate change and to adjust to its effects, seeking to eliminate the adverse consequences and take advantage of any beneficial outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology focuses on specific parameters, leading to the most efficient package of alternatives for the area of Greece. The selection of the “optimal” ranking of alternatives in a defined strategy is a sophisticated procedure, and a multi-criteria decision-making process was established. A questionnaire was designed and used as input to the overall framework, based on specific decision criteria. Climate change experts gave their feedback via a face-to-face interview. ELECTRE III multi-criteria decision analysis was adopted for the comparative evaluation, as it fits best to complex environmental problems. An “optimal” sequence of mitigation and adaptation strategies was provided for Greece.
Findings
The use of renewable energy sources, increase of energy efficiency and improved forest management – tree planting and rational water management – are among the most promising options to strategically plan climate change mitigation and adaptation for Greece.
Originality/value
The presented study provides an insight into alternative mitigation and adaptation strategies against climate change. The use of the multi-criteria analysis is an innovative approach to outline the optimal bundle of strategies. The methodology focuses on specific parameters, leading to the most efficient package of measures for the area of Greece. Such an approach is implemented for the first time in Greece, at least up to the authors’ knowledge, and provides a basis for strategic governance and policy modeling for the area under consideration.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund – ESF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) – Research Funding Program: Heracleitus II. “Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund”. The authors would like to specially thank the experts from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Macedonia and the University of Southern California who kindly participated in this study by providing their evaluation of the climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
Citation
Spyridi, D., Vlachokostas, C., Michailidou, A.V., Sioutas, C. and Moussiopoulos, N. (2015), "Strategic planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation: the case of Greece", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 272-289. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-02-2014-0027
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited