The European Public Law Organization (EPLO) participated in the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum 2026, held in Rome from 29 September to 2 October 2026, following an invitation from the One Water Committee Italy. EPLO was represented by Prof. Ioannis Katsoyiannis, Director of the EPLO Institute of Sustainable Water Management and Water Law.
Held under the theme, “Working together to ensure water security in the Mediterranean,” the Forum served as an international platform for dialogue among policymakers, civil society, academia and the private sector. Its programme combined high-level discussions with scientific and technical exchanges and presentations of technological and process innovations in the water sector.
Organised by One Water Committee Italy, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME), the Forum focused on strengthening cooperation and developing practical responses to shared water challenges across the Mediterranean.
Water from the Sea for the Greek Islands
Participating in the session on National and International Best Practices, Prof. Ioannis Katsoyiannis presented, “Water from the Sea for the Greek Islands.” His presentation focused on the growing role of desalination in addressing water scarcity in Greece, while also examining environmental and operational challenges, including brine management and the protection of Posidonia meadows.
Drawing on the cases of Chios and Meganisi, Prof. Katsoyiannis highlighted the importance of sustainable planning, appropriate siting, monitoring, energy efficiency and long-term maintenance in developing resilient approaches to island water management.
The subject of the presentation was closely aligned with one of the Forum's central themes: water scarcity and non-conventional water resources. The official programme specifically identified reuse and desalination as responses to structural water scarcity and placed particular emphasis on the Mediterranean's exposure to water stress.
The wider Forum discussions also addressed water resilience, governance, infrastructure, technological innovation and regional cooperation. According to the European Commission, the event sought to translate shared commitments into practical action and strengthened the emphasis on collective approaches to improving Mediterranean water security.
