Water Management at the Center of the Olympia Forum

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01.11.2024

A. Angelopoulos (Aldemar Resorts Group): "Critical challenges can only be addressed with planning, a coalition of forces, and a truce."

The very serious issue of Water Management was presented at the Olympia Forum V by the Aldemar Resorts hotel group and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Greece, in a partnership aimed at enhancing collaboration between the two countries on sustainability issues. Dutch experts, Greek entrepreneurs, and representatives from the public sector gathered in Ancient Olympia on Saturday, October 19, 2024, and participated in the discussion moderated by SKAI journalist Nikos Andritsos.

The session was opened by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Greece, Ms. Susanna Terstal, who noted that "proper water management is complex but very important for every country, especially for countries like Greece, whose economy largely depends on tourism and agricultural production." Meanwhile, the Chair of the Environment Committee of the Greek Parliament and New Democracy MP for Ilia, Ms. Dionysia Avgerinopoulou, highlighted the significance placed on the issue by the Greek Parliament, referring to the establishment of the first Water Resources Subcommittee in Europe.

The presentations by three water management experts were illuminating: Mr. Miltiadis Gkouzouris, CEO of HVA International and an interlocutor of the Greek government, clarified that "the issue is not the lack of water, but its active management"; Mr. Petrus Christian Letitre, Senior Project Manager at Deltares, emphasized the need for coordination and explained how the Netherlands' governance of water by a central and unified authority is linked to the country's image, security, and economic prosperity. Finally, Dr. Alexandros Yfantis, President & CEO of Sychem, discussed desalination techniques and “non-conventional water,” stressing emphatically that "there is water available, but we let it go to waste."

The following discussion involving Mr. Alexandros Angelopoulos, CEO of Aldemar Resorts; Mr. Achilleas Angelopoulos, CEO of KYKNOS S.A.; and Mr. George Sachinis, Director of Strategy & Innovation at EYDAP, highlighted the direct connection between agriculture, industrial production, and the hospitality economy, the needs for water supply, irrigation challenges, and the importance of water circularity and networks as issues requiring central policy and coordination.

A key conclusion from this session was the recognition that broad and strategic cooperation with participatory planning and coordination—both for the development of regional masterplans and their implementation—is essential.

As participants noted, Greece has much to learn from the Netherlands, whose long-term expertise in managing natural and especially water resources is globally known and recognized. Additionally, the solution to water scarcity involves a central design and the implementation of a long-term plan for the utilization and management of water resources by an independent authority that will coordinate all stakeholders and clarify responsibilities, free from local political interventions.

As Mr. Alexandros Angelopoulos aptly stated: "We are facing a problem whose management affects us all and each of us individually. Water, as a precious resource, is one of the critical challenges of our generation that can only be addressed with planning, a coalition of forces, and a truce, so that we can all fight this significant battle together. Climate change is narrowing our margins, and time is running out."