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Transition Movements in Greece An alternative green solution

to the crisis?

Sofia Nikolaidou Dr. Urban & Regional Planner

Ph.D - NTUA, School of Architecture

Orestes Kolokouris Geographer, Ph.D Candidate Panteion University of Athens

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I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN MOVEMENT

II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES

III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

Transition Movements in Greece An alternative green solution to the crisis?

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I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN MOVEMENT

II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES

III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

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Timeline of the Greek ‘green movement’

1970

70‘s Firsts

Environmental

Conlficts

(New social

movements)

80‘s Environmental

Movement

1993-2000

Developpment

of NGO‘s

2000-2007 New

Conflicts (Free Space

Movement, Anti-

Olympic Games etc.)

2007-2010

Greening of

Politic‘s

2010 -2015

The Great

Depression

1989-1993 Birth

of Political

Ecology & big

NGO‘s

2000 2010

1980 1990

2007-2015

2011 : Turning point for Greek society - Development of “new” new social movements and

New concepts : de-growth, transition.

New strategies (internet resources – horizontal organizations etc.)

New economic activities (social and solidarity economy)

Questions:

A new trend or a force that transforms the society?

Is this new phenomenon in development or in stagnation?

How ‘new’ are the new social movements?

Do they influence the mainstream?

‘New’ new social movements

The great depression

Evolution of the Greek GDP (2006-2014)

Environmental policies in the era of memorandum

The ongoing privatisation processes with the creation of the Asset

Development Fund in 2011.

Privatisation of the majority of public sector companies. exceptional example of

large-scale investment: sell-off of the former 'Helliniko' airport in Athens and the

seafront of Agios Kosmas in 2014, comprising the construction of an urban plot of

more than 600ha).

The legalisation of all illegally built structures and unauthorised use of a space

outside city planning areas (i.e. coastal areas, even Natura 2000 areas).

Since 2010, the so called ‘fast-track’ law with a series of supplementary ad-hoc

amendments.

Accelerates strategic large-scale private investments and public-private partnerships

al activities) by simplifying licensing procedure processes while limiting public

consultation and giving almost no chance for citizens and associations, public

agencies and local authorities to raise objections.

Finally, with a series of specific amendments that facilitate the installation of

particular polluting activities – (extruction, touristic mega projects etc.)

Main land-use dynamics & environmental conflicts in Attica

Source: Research Project: Kolokouris O., Nikolaidou S., Anthopoulou Th. (2013) “Land Use Conflicts”, Green Institute Greece

Protest Environmental Movements and conflicts

Two analytical categories to read the Transition Towns Movement (Elena Musolino, 2013) 1. Co-production (Van der Ploeg, 2006; Fabris,2010) 2. Social movement (McMichael, 2006)

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I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN MOVEMENT

II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES

III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

Forms of ‘Transition’ Initiatives

Social and solidarity economy based on collective entrepreneurship

mainly consisting of a diversity of cooperative and innovative solidarity

economy initiatives, collective and self-help structures that are based on

a more participatory approach, democratic governance and non-profit

activities ensuring opportunities for income security and livelihoods of

the participants.

Non-entrepreneurial, non-monetary forms of solidarity networks

and initiatives with humanitarian and solidarity character that mainly

appeared during crisis, e.g. emergency structures for poverty (social

pharmacies, social groceries, social kitchens), social centers and

structures with educational, cultural and social activities (social schools

such as conservatories or schools for migrant and refugee children,

social consulting groups, time banks etc.), neighborhood-based

residents' initiatives, communities and collectivities.

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Types of actors & relations with Social and Solidarity Economy

Local self-government

Local political lists

Associations (cultural, environmental, local)

Informal Groups (Ad Hoc)

Ecological & Social NGO's

Political Parties

Social Centres (libertarian)

Social Cooperatives (KOIN.SEP- Law 2011)

The Urban Agriculture Movement in Greece

Forms of Urban Agriculture

Peri-urban Allotments

Collective Gardens

Guerilla Gardens

Appropriation of Plants in Public Spaces (olives)

Semi-Municipal Gardens

ONG’s, Social Cooperatives

CSA Community Supported Agriculture

‘New’ new social movements in the net

Alternative Initiatives www.enallaktikos.gr

Social Consumers Cooperative www.biocoop.gr

Autogestionary Farm in Hellinikon http://agroselliniko.blogspot.gr/

Solidarity http://solidaritypiraias.blogspot.gr/

Alternative Community (traditional grains) http://www.peliti.gr/

Vio.Me (autogestionary factory) http://biom-metal.blogspot.gr/

Cooperative Newspaper www.efsyn.gr

Fair Trade Hellas www.fairtrade.gr (european program “challenging the crisis)

Robin of Wood https://robenworkers.wordpress.com/

Festival of Solidarity and Cooperative Economy (since 2012)

Collective Food Ecological Market Exchange Bazaar Alternative Currency Workshops on alternative way of life

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I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN MOVEMENT

II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION INITIATIVES

III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

Institutionalization of the ‘Third Sector’

Law about Social Economy (2011)

Social Economy based on : - Vulnarable groups

- Intergration

- Social Wellfare

- Promotes the social economy as a specific entrepreneurship and new productive relations («productive reconstruction»)

- New funding instruments

- 2 types : social and workers cooperatives

Legal framework on Social and Solidarity Economy

A shift to entrepreneurship model

The truth behind the Public Discourse?

New Law about Social and Solidarity Economy (2016)

Relations with local authorities

Indifference

Conflict

Tolerance

Cooperation

Appropriation

Relations with Political System

The Greek Political System has no historical ideological links with those movements. 1. Development of social and solidarity economy. No social movement parties: Centrist & Rightwing Parties 2. Bi-Broducts of Old Social Movements (Communist Parties) 3. Weak ‘Greens’ and weak new social movements (80’s & 90’s). 2011: Development of ‘new’ new social movements => Transition Movement etc. 2012-2015: Syriza (major party) has been largely influenced by the rise of bottom-up movements and within the vibrant civil society and has, in turn, embedded these grassroots dynamics and the importance of the social and solidarity economy in their public discourse. 2016 – Still weak social movements, applied austerity policies & ambiguous relations between business and new way of governance.

What would be a Plan – E(co)?

Some key conditions of a ‘Plan-e’ :

Development of social and solidarity economy.

Local productive networks, food local food sovereignty.

Policies towards a carbon free society.

Sustainable Local and Urban Planing instead of

unplanned mega projects.

Youth start ups, local, green and solidarity innovation.

Participative decision-making and grass root democracy.

Tranformation of life style (ex. limit meat market).

THANK YOU!

Source: exarhia.pblogs.gr/