- 1University of Patras, Civil Engineering, Patras, Greece
- 2Laboratory of Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology, Department of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
- 3Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- 4Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- 5Department of Civil Engineering, University of the Peloponnese
- 6Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- 7Department of Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Patras
- 8Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale ed Architettura Università degli Studi di Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
The acceleration of the climate crisis poses significant and multilayered challenges to Mediterranean societies, whose complex socio-economic structure, ecological stability, and cultural heritage, are increasingly affected by expanding climatic perturbations (see e.g. Linares et al., 2020, and Aurelle et al., 2022).Due to its socio-geographic heterogeneity, Greece offers a highly compelling case for an investigation of social resilience and adaptive capacity in response to climate change. Along these lines, in this study we conduct a large-scale survey to explore the adaptation potential of Greek society, aiming to provide insights concerning community perspectives and social dynamics.
Thus far, the survey, is administered across a variety of urban, rural, and insular contexts, and encompasses a minimum of 150 responses. The proposed framework interrogates key aspects of adaptive capacity, including (but not limited to): a) cognitive awareness of climate-related risks, b) direct experiences of crisis-induced disruptions, c) willingness as well as readiness to adopt sustainable practices, and d) evaluative perspectives on grassroots-level interventions. Although this preliminary analysis indicates a widespread understanding of the exposure to climatic hazards, we identify significant regional disparities that highlight urban-rural dichotomies, as well as substantial socio-economic constraints toward proactive adaptation strategies. Furthermore, the interplay of cultural and historical paradigms emerges as a major factor that shapes adaptation pathways.
The findings of this effort seek to provide the foundation for identifying systemic barriers and leveraging emerging opportunities to enhance societal resilience to the climate crisis in Greece. Finally, this work underscores the critical importance of developing context-specific strategies that address localized hydrological challenges and socio-economic barriers, while integrating community-driven solutions to enhance adaptive resilience against climate risks.
References
Linares, C., Díaz, J., Negev, M., Martínez, G.S., Debono, R., Paz, S. (2020) Impacts of climate change on the public health of the Mediterranean Basin population - Current situation, projections, preparedness and adaptation, Environmental Research, 182, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.109107
Aurelle, D., Thomas, S., Albert, C., Bally, M., Bondeau, A., Boudouresque,C., Cahill, A. E., Carlotti, F., Chenuil, A., Cramer, W., Davi, H., DeJode, A., Ereskovsky, A., Farnet, A., Fernandez, C., Gauquelin, T.,Mirleau, P., Monnet, A., Prévosto, B., … Fady, B. (2022) Biodiversity,climate change, and adaptation in the Mediterranean. Ecosphere, 13(4): e3915. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3915
How to cite: Perdios, A., Ntona, M. M., Emmanouil, S., Kritidou, E., Aspioti, A., Georgaki, M. N., Papailiopoulou, M., and Serafeim, A. V.: Adapting to the Escalating Climate Crisis in the Mediterranean Region: The case of Greece, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9003, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9003, 2025.
