It is now widely acknowledged that the transition of businesses towards a sustainable development model is not a matter of choice, but a pressing necessity of our time. The climate crisis and its impacts demand specific actions, and Greece, following the European Green Deal, has undertaken institutional initiatives. Law 4936/2022 on Climate Change serves as the country’s legal compass towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance sustainability across all sectors.
However, the effectiveness of any legislative initiative is judged in practice. In the green transition, infrastructure and construction are not merely involved sectors—they are key drivers of implementation. For this reason, the Climate Law includes provisions that directly concern technical and social infrastructure, through tools for monitoring and verifying emissions.
Konstantinos Mavropoulos, Head of Sustainability & Water-related Engineering Division & Head of Research & Development Division at TÜV AUSTRIA Hellas
Articles 19 and 20 of the law introduce requirements for the measurement and independent verification of emissions. Article 19 applies to installations with an Environmental Terms Approval Decision (AEPO) of Category A—such as landfills, waste treatment plants, hospitals, and sports facilities—which are required to monitor their emissions and verify them through accredited bodies. Article 20 extends this obligation to other infrastructures, such as municipal water and Sewerage Enterprises (DEYA), as well as other water and wastewater service providers.
This regulation is not merely a formal obligation but a fundamental shift in how the environmental performance of infrastructure is assessed. Third-party verification ensures transparency and credibility, enabling evidence-based decisions regarding interventions, investments, and upgrades. Thus, compliance becomes a measurable reality rather than a theoretical goal.
In this context, the implications for the infrastructure sector are substantial. The need to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency drives the creation of “smart” projects from the design stage. Management bodies must seek solutions that reduce their energy footprint and enhance the sustainability of their projects.
This translates into examples such as new waste management units based on the circular economy, hospitals with energy upgrades and documented carbon footprints, or DEYA using digital tools to monitor energy and CO₂ emissions, aiming at innovative sustainable water management services.
At the heart of this transformation are accredited certification and verification bodies, which, using international standards such as ISO 14065 and ISO 17029, ensure valid and comparable data. Through objective emissions assessments, they provide tools for monitoring progress and shaping policy.
At the same time, the integration of ESG criteria into public and private investments makes compliance documentation essential for financing. Infrastructure projects that demonstrate environmental goals gain easier access to “green” financial instruments, such as those from the European Investment Bank or the Innovation Fund.
Therefore, green development in the infrastructure sector is not an abstract concept. It is a new reality shaped by the connection between legislation and practice—from construction sites to policymaking. Greece has laid a solid foundation with the Climate Law. The next step is its effective implementation in practice, so that the green transition becomes a lever for a sustainable future.
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