Introduction 

Water resources play a crucial role in the preservation of human life, the natural environment and ecosystems, as well as in the socio-economic prosperity of a region. International and supranational organizations, such as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU), have underlined the prominent importance of the proper management of water resources, in order to sustainably manage and deal with the existing pressures that affect both the quantity as well as their quality. 

At the national level, water resource management is of particular interest due to the particular characteristics of the country. Specifically, the supply of water resources faces challenges due to particular climatic, geographical, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics. In some areas of the country (Attica, Thessaly, Aegean Islands, etc.), the supply is insufficient to meet the demand, especially during the summer months. The temporal and spatial mismatch between water supply and demand (more rainfall in the winter months – higher demand in the summer months) combined with other challenges, make it imperative to store water during periods of increased supply (e.g., winter season with increased rainfall) and use it during periods of increased demand (e.g., summer season) but also more generally the need for rational water resources management in the country. 

Impacts of Climate Change 

The limitation of the availability of water resources is already a problem in many areas of Europe. Greece, like the wider Mediterranean region, is expected to face serious impacts from climate change, mainly due to the expected decrease in precipitation combined with other changes in the hydrological cycle. Compared to previous years, net water loss (evaporation minus precipitation and river runoff) has increased across the Mediterranean Sea due to the significant increase in evaporation due to local temperature increases, and is expected to increase further in the future due to decreasing precipitation and river runoff. 

The impacts of climate change expected to affect Greece’s water systems and water supply infrastructure in the short, medium, and long term are: a) the reduction of water reserves, b) the extension of drought periods and intensification of water consumption, c) the increased salinization of coastal aquifers, with the advance of salinization fronts inland, d) the failure to maintain the ecological supply of rivers in the dry season, e) the increased competition between water uses (water supply, irrigation, energy production), and f) the increase in the occurrence of flood events. 

In Greece, the water resources sector is one of the most critical in terms of climate change impacts, as it faces significant pressures on both the quality and quantity of reserves (which are expected to increase), indirectly affecting other important sectors such as agriculture (irrigation water, soil degradation due to erosion/desertification), coastal zones (impact of sea level rise), tourism and industry. 

 Suggested Solutions 

The Water Resources sector is one of the fifteen priority sectors included in the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) (MEEN, 2016). The indicative actions and measures proposed in NAS for the sector’s adaptation to climate change impacts are:  

• adaptation of the legislative and regulatory framework to climate change (e.g., management of transboundary surface and groundwater systems), 

• adaptation of strategic and operational planning to climate change (e.g., incorporation of climate change into water planning and water management), 

• institutionalizing new or improving existing monitoring systems (e.g., optimization of existing meteorological networks, implementation of a monitoring network for the impacts of climate change on groundwater), 

• conducting studies to specialize the individual adaptation measures to climate change (e.g., drawing up vulnerability maps, assessing and quantifying impacts using specialized models for alternative scenarios of the phenomenon’s evolution), 

• implementation of adaptation measures to climate change (e.g., prohibiting the drilling and operation of private wells on the islands of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, measures for water conservation/rational use, measures for water reuse/recycling, measures to reduce the effect of salinization), 

• strengthening coordination/collaboration (e.g., enhancing cooperation/coordination with Agricultural Cooperatives for the repair, replacement and extension of irrigation networks, as well as with Regions and Local Government Organizations (LGO) for the repair and replacement of water supply networks), 

• improvement of organizational structures (e.g., creation of a single organization, that will be coordinated at the national level and will be responsible for monitoring changes in water demand), 

• improving access and dissemination of information on climate change impacts and adaptation (e.g., creating a geoportal for integrating information on climate change impacts on water resources), 

• improving the dissemination of monitoring results (e.g., creating a national database for monitoring data on changes in water demand at the national level, establishing a national database of water withdrawals), 

• strengthening services for the design and implementation of climate change adaptation policies and measures (e.g., installation of a national water withdrawal control base), 

• information and awareness among students, education of future scientists and professionals (students), and information and training of professional groups active in the sector (e.g., educational programs on the impact of climate change on water resources), 

• informing and raising awareness of citizens (e.g., encouraging changes in consumer patterns and attitudes of individuals). 

(*) The main purpose of the proposed measures and actions is to serve as general guidelines supporting adaptation efforts in the Water Resources sector. 

Related Links

• European Platform for Climate Adaptation – Climate-ADAPT – Water Resources sector