The Greek 'Good practice guide' is now available in English. Here you can find examples and recommendations in order to achieve a good water status on the Greek islands.
The Good practise guide for sustainable water management in Aegean islands can be downloaded here
The Norwegian contribution to this guide is delivered as:
- one case study that addresses infrastructure awareness and institutional awareness, and
- one campaign proposa that addresses developing consumer awareness, aimed at incoming tourists to the Hellenic islands (from Norway)
1) The case of waterways in high mountain valleys in Norway – tradition with a message
The Norwegian case for a best practice of good water status derives knowledge from a historical infrastructure in mountain valleys in Norway. This facility is, surprisingly enough given it dates back to before the 18th century, still operation, for several reasons.“The traditional waterways are cheap in use, since they already are established, so you can use them almost for free and it is tradition”, a farmer and waterway user underlines the advantages.
Read more about the Water ways in Lom and Sjåk at the case study pages and
Read more in the report on Water Matters visiting the water ways in Lom.
Recommendations
In contemporary times, waterways continue to be shared resources, necessitating collective efforts and constructive dialogues among neighbours. This institutionalization of a shared resource serves a good example of the extent and nature of cooperation and supply of resources (labour, materials, skills) necessary to maintain a favourable water status. Water status, therefore, acts as a litmus test for societal coherence – a timeless lesson vividly demonstrated in this case: Creating a good water status requires a significant community and solidarity effort, perhaps an abstract imperative for the average citizen in a modern society with its centralized municipal technical infrastructures as dominant water utilities. But this case from the mountain valleys in Lom and Skjåk demonstrates in a concrete way what is required, albeit in a different guise, also in the modern society of awareness, of understanding and solidarity.
There is even a wider lesson to be learned in this case as well: Although historically, this traditional type of water utility is not obsolete. It is designed to utilize high-altitude water sources that are typically inaccessible (mostly for economic reasons) to modern municipal or modern private water infrastructure. Establishing such a system demands a significant effort, relying on low-tech inputs and the canal construction skills of a craftsman, as well as institutionalized collaboration among participating stakeholders. However, once operational, it delivers gravity-driven water supply at a low operating cost, primarily for agricultural purposes.
Also, in Hellenic agricultural society similar water utilities has been in operation, for example the irrigation of Kyriakochori. In Water Matters we point to this as anything but an outdated method in the right contexts. I should be seen as a developed community experience, a low-tech, economy extensive skill. These traditions can even today contribute to develop a good water status.
2) Consumer awareness to foster sustainable consumption of water – an initiative proposal.
Good water status is not all about (re)sources, technology and methods, and institutions. Consumer behaviour is also a key to balance access and consumption. In the end it is also a question of fostering a culture of solidarity within a community struggling with a limited supply, regardless of whether a bottleneck in the supply chain from source to consumer is infrastructure or available resource.
Consumers in the Hellenic islands are regular inhabitants and tourists. Water scarcity, especially of human consumption quality, is endemic in several islands with a major influx of tourists. Tourists arriving the island often come from regions where water is abundant, and consequently, they bring a culture of water consumption. In their new tourist setting, this consumption can be considered as unnecessary and unjustifiable waste, potentially seen as a breach of solidarity.
Focus on Norwegian tourists
If so, how can this question of transcultural water status solidarity be addressed? The tourism influx to the islands from Norway provides an illustrative case for building an argument around, since it is quite significant. Hellas and Spain are in close competition as the most visited country for outbound tourism from Norway. Norwegian tourists arriving on a Hellenic Island often transistion from one water consumption region to another, moving from an area with water abundance to one characterized by water scarcity. Moreover, it’s possible that this switch becomes even more pronounced as climate change appears to push the precipitation patterns in the Mediterranean region, leading to more frequent periods of droughts and flooding caused by torrential rain occurrences.
Changing consumer behaviour as tourists switch from one water status region to another, cannot be implemented as a quick fix operation. The tools for inducing change are knowledge and awareness, and the promotion of rational water consumption behaviour during stays on the islands.
Recommendation
The main influx of non-domestic tourists is channelled through flights and at airports. This provides an effective and unique opportunity to promote understanding, disseminate knowledge and raise awareness about careful water consumption when visiting the islands. We suggest a project to develop and launch an initial campaign aimed at educating incoming tourists about on their role in maintaining a good water status. The campaign should engage both charter and regular airlines and travel companies that transport tourists to the country. As a first step, a development project can be limited to an influx of tourists from, for example, Norway. In cooperation with authorities from both Norway and Greece, informational material should be created and distributed on incoming flights and at airports. We suggest that the Norwegian Embassy takes an initiative to collaborate with Greek authorities and engage the knowledge communities in both Greece and Norway. Together, they can approach relevant travel companies to establish an EEA project aimed at enhancing Norwegian consumers’ knowledge, understanding, awareness and behaviour as water consumers as they transition from regions of abundance to regions of scarcity.
.png)