Transition movements in cities are broadly emerging worldwide as new forms of alternative citizen-driven practices and socio-political participation addressing the raising awareness of environmental, economic, social, planning and food issues. Resistance initiatives for food and space justice discuss the growing concerns about the achievement of long-term security and resilience of food system especially in crisis contexts, about who has access and power to land or who is marginalized or excluded and how can community-based initiatives build self-reliant systems founded on ecological principles. In Greece, the collapse of the consumption and construction-led growth after the period of economic euphoria and rapid GDP growth in the early 2000's and the consequent financial crisis that unfolded in mid-2008, have radically changed Greek society, politics and the economy. While the current depression and the dramatic humanitarian crisis have shifted politicians’ attention away from the climate and ecology, “transition and recovery movements” work hard to keep the environment on the agenda. In a time when traditional green movements and civil society actors are receding due to depression and uncertainty, alternative social movements related to urban agriculture or guerilla gardening initiatives, access to open/public space, solidarity economy, de-growth or real democracy, progress due to the crisis. In particular, initiatives that deal with issues such as urban poverty, food delocalization and environmental constraints favor the emergence of localised consumer-producer networks and spontaneous civic or pubic initiatives aiming at reintegrating agriculture into the city. In this article we focus on the development of new forms of social movements and solidarity initiatives that we consider to be part of the green ideals and could help the Greek society to get out of depression. We describe those social movements as “transition and recovery movements” for they address social and spatial injustices through new forms of space appropriation and decision-making which can redefine livelihoods in today’s Greek cities, create political space for civil society and build an enabling environment for new forms of democratic practice.

1. 1
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

2. 2
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?

3. 3
I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN
MOVEMENT
II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION
INITIATIVES
III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL
SYSTEM

4. 4
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 20101980 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

5. The great depression
Evolution of the Greek GDP (2006-2014)

6. 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.)

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 9
I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN
MOVEMENT
II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION
INITIATIVES
III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL
SYSTEM

10. 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.

11. 11
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)

12. The Urban Agriculture Movement in Greece

13. 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

14. ‘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/

15. Festival of Solidarity and Cooperative
Economy (since 2012)
Collective Food
Ecological Market
Exchange Bazaar
Alternative Currency
Workshops on
alternative way of life

16. 16
I. HISTORY OF THE GREEK GREEN
MOVEMENT
II. FORMS & ACTORS OF TRANSITION
INITIATIVES
III. RELATIONS WITH THE POLITICAL
SYSTEM

17. 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)

18. Relations with local authorities
 Indifference
 Conflict
 Tolerance
 Cooperation
 Appropriation

19. 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.

20. 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).

21. THANK YOU!
Source: exarhia.pblogs.gr/