Events

Prof. Phoebe Koundouri participated in the International Workshop in Memory of Efthymios (Mike) Tsionas, held on 11–12 September 2025 at the Athens University of Economics & Business (AUEB), generously supported by the Bank of Greece.

The workshop brought together colleagues and friends from around the world to recognize Mike’s contributions to econometrics and applied economics. Beyond the research presented, it served as a tribute to a distinguished scholar, a supportive colleague, and a friend whose legacy continues to influence contemporary work.

On Thursday, 11 September, Prof. Koundouri presented (online) the paper:
“A Simulation-Driven Assessment of 35 European National Energy and Climate Plans”,
co-authored with A. Alamanos, I. Arampatzidis, S. Devves, T. Pliakou, and C. Deranian.

This work is an outcome of the UN SDSN Global Climate Hub , chaired by Prof. Koundouri. It employs an integrated systems modeling approach to simulate the performance of EU Member States’ National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). By linking the dynamics of energy, economy, and environment, the research evaluates whether these plans are sufficient to achieve Europe’s climate neutrality commitment by 2050.

The findings indicate that while the NECPs represent an important collective effort, significant gaps remain between ambition and implementation capacity. Some countries are progressing well, while others risk falling short without stronger measures in renewable energy expansion, energy efficiency, and ensuring a just transition for workers and communities. The research provides policy-relevant insights to guide national governments and EU institutions in aligning current efforts with the long-term climate neutrality goal.

The program included presentations on frontier econometrics, Bayesian methods, climate policy, democracy, labor markets, and financial economics. Distinguished contributions included:

• Alecos Papadopoulos (AUEB) on efficiency under heteroskedasticity

• Angelos Alexopoulos (AUEB) & Petros Dellaportas on Bayesian estimation of stochastic volatility models

• A. Andrikopoulos, Konstantinos N. Baltas (University of Essex, UK), Z. Chen & X. Du on extreme heat and labor cost asymmetry in China

• George Halkos (University of Thessaly) & C. Bampatsou on bootstrap-based frameworks for efficiency and convergence

• Christopher Parmeter (University of Miami) on identification in two-tier stochastic frontier models

• George Leledakis (AUEB) on green bonds and financial sentiment

• George Bitros (AUEB) on democracy, redistribution, and economic growth in post-1974 Greece

• Scott Atkinson (University of Georgia, US) & Mike Tsionas on eco-efficiency and productivity measurement

The workshop concluded with the keynote: “Mike Tsionas’ Contributions in Econometrics” by Prof. Subal Kumbhakar (Binghamton University, US), highlighting Mike’s intellectual depth, generosity, and lasting impact on the field.

Prof. Koundouri participated in the workshop with appreciation for the exchange of ideas, the generosity of the academic community, and the opportunity to honor Mike’s memory through rigorous scholarship and meaningful dialogue.