The city race to carbon neutrality; a realistic dream or a chimera?

Abstract

This paper examines whether carbon neutrality of a city like Athens could be an achievable target, concentrating on energy induced greenhouse gas emissions. The main focus is on buildings, but the trends in transport are also investigated. Taking into consideration these examined trends, emphasis is given on technologies that have been put forward for the decarbonisation of cities, such as energy savings and electrification of all energy consuming activities. The incorporation of these technologies is examined within a time frame of approximately 30 years, in order to investigate how, with which technologies and synergies the city can reach carbon neutrality by 2050, taking into account the effect of the undergoing energy crisis. In these projections, various scenarios are examined, taking into consideration not only the effect of national plans for the decarbonisation of electricity production, but also the current energy crisis, which might lead to an increase in the carbon footprint of electricity. Optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, regarding the decarbonisation of electricity, energy demand trends, energy costs that lead to the rise of energy poverty within the city are investigated. Conclusions are drawn on the synergies that must take place so that energy efficiency technologies that have been put forward can be effective for the transformation of Athenian buildings and activities into carbon neutral ones, or can lead to the failure of such a goal.