Green Transitions and Socioecological Imaginaries: Mobilizations Against Renewable Energy Projects in Crete’s Hinterland

Crete, a strategic island at the crossroads of three continents, has become a focal point for large-scale, infrastructure projects targeting energy, environment, transport, digitization, and tourism. Together, these projects construct a vision of sociotechnical and economic development that seeks to alleviate the long-standing austerity and uncertainty that have defined Greece’s recent history. Central to these efforts is the promotion of a ‘green’ transition, particularly in the energy sector, through the deployment of Renewable Energy Sources (RES).

This study critically examines the local impact of these national and transnational investments, focusing on how they affect the already fragile social cohesion and ecological balance in Crete. Specifically, we explore how communities across the island respond to the framing of ‘green’ and ‘energy transition’ in two interconnected ways. First, to unravel the broader context shaping transition expectations, on the one hand we outline the major infrastructural projects, and the socioecological narratives of progress promoted by key stakeholders identifying also historical precedents; on the other, we explore local groups and grassroots movements grappling with this development trajectory, arguing that it depletes community resources, landscapes, and cultural heritage. Second, we focus on communities that have mobilized against industrial-scale renewable energy resources (RES) in southern Crete. Drawing on participant observation and interviews, this qualitative research highlights community narratives, organizational strategies, and action repertoires in response to wind energy projects promoted by state, EU and transnational governance. In reframing ecological claims, local identities tied to a sense of belonging are (re)invented, revealing tensions within local and environmental groups and organizations, as well as both continuities and disruptions within environmental movements in the face of ecological crisis. The communities' alternative visions question the prevailing 'green transition' paradigm, highlighting how local populations navigate and contest broader socioecological transitions.