The Polycrisis and the Mediterranean City: Prospects for a Spatially Just Transition in Athens

Athens, one of Europe’s hottest cities, is home to over 3.7 million people in its metropolitan area, putting it among the ten largest agglomerations in the EU. Athens’ core is also one of Europe’s densest urban areas. These conditions, along with the challenges of the polycrisis era, underscore the urgency of pursuing a just transition towards an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable urban model. Greece has experienced the deepest economic recession of any developed country in peacetime, while extreme weather events have led to increasing incidences of wildfire, drought and flash flooding in the city. Against this backdrop, we examine the prospects for a spatially just transition in Athens: one that ensures the benefits of climate adaptations and economic interventions are fairly distributed in the city. Drawing on qualitative research with key local stakeholders, this study explores perceived barriers and opportunities for achieving such a just transition. By providing contemporary insights on a major European city that remains relatively understudied, this paper contributes to debates on urban transitions and spatial justice in Mediterranean urban contexts. The findings have broader relevance for cities across the Mediterranean, one of the planet’s most vulnerable regions in the climate crisis.