Crete Region Highlights Role in Climate Adaptation and Water Management

George Alexakis, Vice‑President of the Conference of the Parties of the Mediterranean Region (CPMR) and Regional Advisor for European and International Affairs of the Crete Region, addressed the CPMR General Assembly in Bologna. He stressed that European regions are on the front line of climate‑change impacts and water‑resource management, yet their role is often insufficiently recognised by national governments.

Alexakis presented Crete’s 2022 Regional Climate‑Change Adaptation Plan, which integrates spatial planning, water management, flood protection, waste handling and Natura‑2000 areas. He highlighted the 2024 Climate Support Mechanism designed to coordinate public and private bodies, academic institutions and civil society. The speaker noted the high quality of Crete’s groundwater and coastal waters while warning of Mediterranean challenges such as sea‑level rise, extreme weather, floods and reduced rainfall.

He also pointed out governance difficulties in Greece, where responsibilities for water are split among municipalities, regions and the central state, creating functional ambiguities. Crete’s active participation in EU innovation programmes—including CLIMAAX, DIALOGUE4NATURE, DETOCS, OCEANIDS, NATOUR4CCHANGE, CO‑WATERS, TRANSCEND and SEA4FUTURE—was cited. Alexakis concluded that Mediterranean regions are among the most vulnerable in Europe and affirmed Crete’s readiness to share its experience within the Alliance of Regions for Water Resilience.