NEWS

Water boost for thirsty islands

The government announced yesterday the introduction of a series of steps aimed at helping to increase water supplies on some of the country’s more popular islands, as it vowed to keep environmental issues at the top of its policy agenda. After attending an EU summit on the environment last week, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis stressed the importance of fighting the greenhouse effect – currently one of Europe’s hottest political topics. «The handling of the problem and the fight for the environment is a top priority,» Karamanlis said after an Inner Cabinet meeting. «Regarding developments on the environment, there is no other position for our country other than being at the frontline in the battle for its protection,» he said. At last week’s summit, European leaders adopted an ambitious set of goals to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. Experts have pointed out that climate change has soared up the EU political agenda in the last few months due to high oil prices and unseasonable weather. With Greece experiencing a dry winter, Environment Minister Giorgos Souflias said yesterday that desalination facilities will be added to eight of the country’s more popular islands to help meet rising water demand during the busy summer months. Greece expects a record 17 million tourists this year, up from 16 million in 2006. Souflias also said that the government will also upgrade island water supply systems. Desalination units, used to remove excess salt and other minerals from water in order to obtain fresh water suitable for irrigation, will be built on the Aegean islands of Myconos, Santorini, Tinos and Paros, among others. Rainfall this winter has been lower than the average in a number of regions across the country. Western parts of Macedonia and the Peloponnese have only seen about a third of average annual rainfall so far this winter. Souflias was reassuring about water levels. «There will not be any water supply problems in our country this year, but we should start to start saving water in the event that more dry winters will follow this year’s,» the minister said. Questioned on whether the government will introduce any water restrictions and penalties for excessive consumption, the minister replied that «we do not need such strict measures.» Meanwhile, authorities also said yesterday that they will better plan for forest fires this summer in a bid to help protect the country’s shrinking forests. Measures include improved coordination efforts and reducing responsibilities where ministries overlap.

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