Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos addressed the UN Climate Summit 2014, in New York, on September 23.

Speaking of the environmental challenges increasingly felt in Europe, Venizelos said that Greece supports the European Commission’s proposals for the 2030 Framework, on the basis of the 20-20-20 targets. He pointed that "energy efficiency measures could also ease the burden of consumers, struggling with high energy prices" and added that the EU Greek Presidency (first semester of 2014) maintained its focus on efficient energy use as well as on developing renewable energy.

Venizelos further stressed the “vast wind and solar potential" of the Greek islands, which could supply energy to many regions and thus contribute to the EU’s overall renewables target. Finally, the minister noted that Greece firmly supports the "Putting a Price on Carbon" initiative and endorses its launch as one of the collaborative actions of this Summit.