The Eastern Mediterranean as a focus for the EU's energy transition: deep-rooted enmities and new opportunities for cooperation between Greece, Turkey and Cyprus

Abstract

The EU and Germany have set themselves ambitious climate and energy policy targets. Taking into account the need to reduce emissions from all sectors of the economy, they now have a different perspective on the energy situation in the Eastern Mediterranean than a few years ago. Offshore natural gas imports from the Eastern Mediterranean are losing relevance in favour of the region's prospects for contributing to the EU's emerging green energy economy. In view of Europe's rising demand for renewable electricity, transcontinental electricity interconnections between the European, African and Middle Eastern power grids could become a new normal via the Eastern Mediterranean. There is also regional potential for playing a role in the EU's hydrogen strategy. Advancing the energy transition in the East Mediterranean brings new economic perspectives and incentives for political cooperation both on regional and inter­national levels. Conflicts and tensions over the delimitation of maritime boundaries between the two communities in Cyprus and between Greece and Turkey would lose a great deal of their politically explosive nature. However, mistrust and deep rooted enmities could still obstruct constructive and inclusive approaches towards the ex­pansion of renewable energies and electricity interconnection all over the Eastern Mediterranean. (author's abstract)