Greece Launches €2.5 Billion Strategy to Combat Drought and Water Scarcity

Greece will invest €2.5 billion over 30 years to secure its water supply through desalination, tunnel projects, and leak reduction as droughts worsen, marking a critical step in confronting the country’s growing water crisis.

Greece has unveiled a long-term €2.5 billion investment strategy aimed at securing its water supply over the next 30 years as the country battles prolonged droughts, shrinking rainfall, and mounting demand.

The comprehensive plan, announced by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, includes major infrastructure projects such as tunnel diversions, new desalination plants, and deep well drilling to boost both urban and agricultural water resilience.

A key element of the initiative involves consolidating smaller, fragmented irrigation networks under major utility operators, ensuring consistent maintenance and efficient water management. Authorities say the modernisation effort also targets reducing leakages, which currently account for nearly 50% of total water losses nationwide.

According to government data, Greece now faces the second-highest level of water stress in southern Europe. Rainfall has declined by about 25% since 2022, while evaporation rates have surged by 15%, leaving reservoirs and farmlands under increasing strain.

Environment Minister Theodoros Skylakakis described the move as “a necessary national investment” to safeguard resources and prepare for the realities of a warming Mediterranean climate. “Water security is not a future issue—it is a present and urgent one,” he said.

The new measures also align with broader EU climate adaptation goals, positioning Greece among member states intensifying efforts to mitigate the economic and social impacts of water scarcity.

Experts have welcomed the plan as a crucial step toward sustainability but warned that success will depend on consistent funding, technological innovation, and public cooperation in conservation efforts.

As global temperatures rise and rainfall patterns shift, Greece’s multi-decade strategy marks a pivotal acknowledgment that managing water scarcity is no longer optional—it is a race against a drying clock.