Greece has moved up 10 spots in the Climate Change Performance Index’s 2022 ranking released last week.

Greece went from the 24th to 34th place in the CCPI’s 2022 report. The authors note that Greece was able to rise the ranks of the index partially because of its plan to eliminate lignite, a form of coal that is less carbon-dense.

The improvement was also attributed to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ climate law presented at the COP26 summit, as well as the latest edition of the country’s National Plan for Energy and Climate, which aims to hit the European Union’s emissions goals for the end of the decade.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) analyzes the impact 64 countries and the European Union (counted as a whole) have made on the world in their response to the issue of climate change, ranking them based on their positive engagement with the environment.

Greece lands in the “yellow” zone of this year’s Climate Change Performance Index

The team behind the index stated that none of the countries evaluated met their standard for the top three spots in the index this year which qualify a country’s positive effect on climate change as “very high.”

Leading the group at number four, however, is Denmark, with an overall index rating of 76.92. The country was joined at the top by fellow Northern European countries Sweden and Norway — which ranked fifth and sixth, respectively – -all meeting the standards of “high” performance in working atop ameliorate the climate crisis.

Of the countries so evaluated, Greece landed somewhere in the middle, coming in at number 24 on the index, a yellow coded ranking that denotes a “medium” amount of engagement with climate change.

To read this article in full, please visit: greerkreporter.com

Veganism, the abstinence of the use of all animal products, is one of the fastest-growing lifestyle movements in the world. 

Here in Greece, long renowned for its love of meat, veganism is becoming increasingly popular, especially among the younger generations. While the concept is still relatively new in mainstream Greek society, more and more shops and restaurants are offering plant-based products. And while fasting is a long-established tenet of the Greek Orthodox faith – the current Lenten fasting period calls on the Faithful to follow a vegan diet until Easter – the traditional Greek diet has always been blessed with a plethora of vegan and vegetarian options.

If veganism is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice now, then what were the attitudes to meat-eating and the exploitation of animals in the ancient Greek past?

Who were the first vegans? 

With the rise of agriculture in the Neolithic, first developed around 10,000 BC, the earliest farmers continued to rely on a largely plant-based diet, only turning to meat for special occasions and group feasting. It was during this time that dairy products were first consumed – milk and early forms of cheese and yogurt.

For the vast majority of human history, therefore, meat was seen as a rare treat, which largely debunks the claim that the so-called “Paleo-diet” should be heavily based on meat. But when did veganism and vegetarianism become a lifestyle based on social justice and ethics? For that, we need to turn to some of the world’s oldest religions and ancient philosophical schools that taught non-violence to all living forms, among them the ancient Greek Pythagoreans and the mysterious Orphics.

The Pythagorean Way Of Life

To the ancient Greeks, strict vegetarianism (abstaining from meat and sometimes eggs) was called “abstinence from beings with a soul.” While Greek literature and art are studded with images of people eating meat, famously in the Homeric epics, in general, meat consumption was certainly not as common as it is today. For many, meat would have been prohibitively expensive, reserved only for special occasions, but as a specific way of life, abstaining from animal foods was limited to a small number of religious and philosophical sects.

The earliest evidence for the theory and practice of abstaining from meat comes from the 6th century BC when the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras voiced his moral objection to the mistreatment of animals. While no authentic writings of the philosopher have survived, it was argued by later authors, notably the Roman poet Ovid, that he likened the consumption of meat to cannibalism. 

Followers of Pythagoras also shunned the sacrifice of animals and the ritual offering of meat to the gods, believing that it was not necessary to inflict pain and suffering on another sentient being. This belief soon influenced other philosophers, including Empedocles, who was said to have refused to perform a blood sacrifice following victory in a horse race at Olympia.

Similarly the mysterious Orphics, an ascetic sect based on the mythical poet Orpheus whose views and practices mirrored elements of Pythagoreanism, adhered to a strict vegetarian diet that also excluded broad beans, believing that they contained the souls of the dead.

While it is clear that strict vegetarianism was a well-known practice in ancient Greece, we have no way of knowing if any of the adherents of these religious and philosophical schools of thought extended it to mean the total abstention from ALL animal products – i.e. meat, fish and seafood, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, honey, and the use of leather hides and fur.

Nevertheless, arguments about the ethical treatment of animals abounded in Greek philosophical circles since at least the 6th century BC. As such, the recent surge in veganism and other diets that reduce the exploitation of animal products on moral grounds is certainly nothing new.

To read this article in full, please visit: greece-is.com

It's Christmas time! Melomakarona (Greek honey cookies) are one of the most popular treats throughout Greece during the Christmas holidays, and their intense homely smell makes every house smell like Christmas. These sweet little Greek honey cookies (melomakarona) are quick to bake, so much fun to make, and highly addictive to eat. Consider yourself warned.

This easy-to-follow traditional Greek melomakarona recipe makes 60 delicious festive cookies, plenty for everyone to try.  Serve with a hot cup of coffee, and you have a match made in heaven! Let the smell of freshly baked cookies, orange, and cinnamon remind you it’s Christmas. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the Melomakarona

    •    150g thin semolina (5.3 ounces)
    •    500g flour (soft) (17.6 ounces)
    •    1/2 tbsp baking powder
    •    100g orange juice (3.5 ounces)
    •    3 tbsps cognac
    •    100g sugar (3.5 ounces)
    •    1 flat tbsp powdered cinnamon
    •    1/3 tsp nutmeg (powder)
    •    1/3 tsp clove (powder)
    •    1 tsp vanilla extract
    •    1/2 tbsp baking soda
    •    90g water (3.2 ounces)
    •    125g olive oil (4.4 ounces)
    •    125g vegetable oil (4.4 ounces)
    •    50g honey (1.8 ounces)
    •    zest of 1 orange

Ingredients for the Syrup

    •    500g water (2 cups)
    •    1 kg sugar (35.27 ounces)
    •    150g glucose (5.3 ounces)
    •    1 cinnamon stick
    •    some orange peel
    •    500g honey (17.64 ounces)

For the Garnish

    •    200g chopped walnuts (7 ounces)
    •    powdered cinnamon (optional)
    •    powdered clove (optional)

To see the full recipe and preparation instructions, please visit: My Greek Dish

While many of these are well-known bars and clubs, it’s always nice to be reminded that Athens’ has a buzzing nightlife. Many of these popular venues are in the city centre within walking distance of Syntagma Square. Here is an insider’s guide to the best bars and nightclubs in Athens!

Brettos

Best known for its lovely interior, with shelves of beautiful coloured bottles lit from behind, creating a warm glow, cosy Brettos has been on the go since 1909. The owners make their own liqueurs in more than 30 flavours, including cherry, lemon and mastiha, as well a classic ouzo. Take a stool at the bar for a convivial nightcap.

Address: Kidathineon 41, Plaka

Telephone: 210 323 2110

Hours: Daily 10:00-02:00
Website

A sound choice for after-hours drinking, young professionals come here for expertly shaken cocktails, served by barmen dressed in black with white aprons, plus an eclectic choice of music – think Rolling Stones, Waterboys, Klaus Nomi and Ella Fitzgerald. It’s small and often packed, with a long narrow polished wooden bar, walls decorated with oriental tiles and memorabilia, subtle lighting, plus a few tables out front.

Address: Voulis 7, Syntagma

Telephone: 210 321 9225

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00-05:00 & Sunday 21:00-03:00
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Next to Monastiraki metro station, on the sixth floor of a small hotel, this rooftop cocktail bar is now one of Athens’ top after-dark venues. Outrageously popular with locals and visitors alike, it has a stylish open-air lounge terrace with amazing view of the floodlit Acropolis. Expect loud music and clubby atmosphere on Saturday nights, when you’ll probably have to queue for the lift (which only takes 3 people at a time). Alternatively, use the stairs. To avoid the crowds, come in the early evening for a sunset aperitif.

Address: Miaouli 2-4, Monastiraki

Telephone: 210 324 4244

Hours: Sunday-Thursday from 11:00-02:30 & Friday-Saturday 11:00-03:30
Website

To read this article in full, please visit: The Telegraph

For more suggestions on cocktail bars in Athens, see our 'Top 10 Cocktail Bars' article.

A list published on Forbes.com has ranked ‘Athens Marathon. The Authentic’ among the top marathons worth traveling to Europe for. This year, the 35th ‘Athens Marathon. The Authentic’ is expected to see over 53,000 runners from 50,000 last year.

 

The Forbes’ list includes marathons found in international cities like Paris, London, Athens and Rome and iconic settings such as Bordeaux, Transylvania or Tuscany.

“For many people, there’s no better way to see a city or a town than by running through it,” Forbes’ contributor, Cecilia Rodriguez, says and underlines that running in a marathon also gives the opportunity to discover new destinations.

The event will be held on Sunday, November 12, 2017.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages