Dr. Georgia Destouni, Professor at the Department of Physical Geography at Stockholm University and at the Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science, and Engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, as well as a Founding Member of Komvos, shares her perspective on water resources management and adaptation to climate change through the The N Society column of Naftemporiki newspaper. With extensive research experience and active participation in the international scientific community, Dr. Destouni highlights the need for evidence-based policies grounded in reliable, long-term data.
The Article
In her article, she emphasizes that societies and ecosystems are critically dependent on the flows and quality of terrestrial water – a natural resource that largely remains invisible, as most of it exists underground. She points out that Greece lacks a comprehensive system for monitoring water flows with open access to data, which complicates the prevention and management of extreme events such as floods and droughts. Citing examples like the catastrophic impacts of Storm “Daniel,” Dr. Destouni explains that the absence of reliable measurements hindered the effective assessment of the extent and duration of such events.
She calls for political commitment and long-term planning to establish a national infrastructure for water monitoring with open data access. Only in this way, she notes, can the country develop realistic forecasts and adaptation strategies for the climate crisis, strengthening the sustainability and resilience of its societies and ecosystems.
The article is part of the series “Komvos of Ideas – Greece 2025–2040”, launched as an initiative by the Secretary-General of Komvos, Prof. Konstantinos Drosatos, and Dr. Athena Coustenis (founding members of Komvos), in collaboration with Naftemporiki newspaper.
Komvos’s Main Sponsor is Piraeus Bank, which supports the implementation of its vision.
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