Greece Looks to Tackle Water Shortages with New Desalination Plants on Islands

Alonnisos, Sporades. Photo source: Alonnisos Municipality

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy has approved temporary licenses for the development of five desalination plants across four Greek islands, marking a significant step in addressing water shortages.

In response to ongoing water scarcity issues, the Greek government has issued a record total of 25 temporary licenses for desalination plants since the beginning of the year. The new licenses pertain to the islands of Alonissos, Kalymnos, Pserimos and Telendos.

In an announcement, Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gikas highlighted the government’s commitment to taking immediate action to prevent water shortages from escalating into crises on these islands.

“To address the challenges of water scarcity and the impact of climate change, we must remain vigilant and collaborate with all relevant authorities to implement targeted and effective interventions,” said Deputy Minister Gikas.

He further noted that the desalination projects involve not only the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy but also the Ministry of Environment and Energy.