autonoma - orestes kolokouris & sofia nikolaidou - transition movements in greece: an...
TRANSCRIPT
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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
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)
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 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).