Green Policies in Public Administration: Insights from the Greek Case

The transition to a green economy represents one of the most significant policy challenges of the 21st century, especially for countries like Greece, facing structural constraints in the public sector, high levels of pollutant emissions, and limited fiscal space. This article explores the role of public administration in promoting green policies, with a focus on the Greek case. Specifically, it analyzes the institutional, administrative, and educational dimensions of sustainability-related reforms, highlighting both the progress achieved and the remaining challenges. Drawing on reports from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Commission, and national strategic documents, the article examines Greece’s efforts to integrate environmental criteria into public procurement, strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration and promote the training of civil servants in sustainability issues. The findings indicate that, despite the adoption of the National Action Plan for Green Public Procurement and the inclusion of green skills in the educational framework of the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government, implementation remains fragmented and at an early stage. The article argues that public administration can serve as a key driver of the green transition, provided that three critical factors are met: sustained political will, institutional stability and active citizen participation. The analysis underscores the need for coordinated action among ministries, local authorities and other public bodies, as well as the development of monitoring mechanisms and the strengthening of administrative capacities. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of mainstreaming sustainability as a cross-cutting principle across all stages of public policy design and implementation. Beyond assessing the current situation, the article proposes specific policy directions tailored to the Greek context. These include the universal application of green public procurement, the establishment of evaluation frameworks, the enhancement of cross-sectoral governance and the expansion of educational programs with a focus on environmental awareness and sustainable resource management. Finally, the article highlights directions for future research, such as investigating citizen participation in the green public administration process, evaluating the effectiveness of civil servant training programs and conducting comparative analyses among EU member states to identify best practices and assess Greece’s position within the European framework.