Greece: The transition from lignite to green energy accelerates the demographic decline in the north

The mayor of the city of Ptolemaida, Panagiotis Plakentas, raised an alarm, comparing the situation in the region to that of the city of Detroit, affected by the collapse of the auto industry. He emphasized that eight out of ten young people who leave for studies do not return, and the closure of lignite power plants exacerbates an already critical situation, with Western Macedonia having the highest unemployment rate in Greece, double the national average. Additionally, the region has lost about 10% of its population in the last decade.

The green transition, which involves the closure of the last lignite power plants, will lead to the disappearance of over 10,000 jobs, with this number expected to double by 2028. The public energy company PPC has promised significant investments in renewable energy, but local authorities believe that these projects do not have a visible impact. On the other hand, the reduction of activities in the lignite industry has led to an improvement in air quality and a decrease in cardiovascular diseases.