Enhancing water security in small, insular and climate-vulnerable communities
17. June 11:15 - 12:30
Pitch Stage
Small, insular, and climate-vulnerable communities are increasingly exposed to intensifying climate hazards, including more frequent and severe droughts, cyclones, storm surges, flooding events, heatwaves, and shifting rainfall patterns. Combined with seasonal tourism pressures, limited freshwater resources, and geographic isolation, these hazards create acute and highly place-specific water security challenges.
This panel will explore how such territories can develop resilient, sustainable, and locally adapted water systems in response to escalating climate risks. It will draw on concrete lessons from island and coastal case studies, including Syros and Sitia (Greece), and La Palma (Spain), highlighting how evolving hazard profiles interact with environmental, governance, and socio-economic conditions to shape water resilience pathways.
Speakers will discuss innovative responses such as integrated water planning and risk-informed governance models, circular water approaches, ecosystem-based solutions, and demand management strategies. The discussion will go beyond technical responses to examine how to translate local adaptation experiences into transferable and scalable approaches for other vulnerable territories across Europe.
The conversation will also address the evolving European policy context, including the European Commission’s forthcoming strategy on islands and coastal territories, as well as the updated strategy on outermost regions.
The session aims to generate practical insights for local and regional authorities, practitioners, and researchers working to strengthen water security under increasing climate uncertainty and intensifying extreme events.
Speakers
Project Manager, La Palma Research Centre
Dr. Laia d'Armengol, Project Manager, La Palma Research Centre
Laia d’Armengol is an environmental scientist and project manager specialising in EU‑funded research and innovation on water resilience, climate adaptation, and the blue economy. She holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Technology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and an MSc in Social‑Ecological Resilience from the Stockholm Resilience Centre. With over 15 years of experience across academia, public administration, and applied research, she currently manages projects such as GENESIS, TRIDENT, CO‑WATERS, and Impact4Mar at the La Palma Research Centre. Her work focuses on nature‑based solutions, marine governance, and community‑centred adaptation, with publications in Global Environmental Change, Ecology & Society, and Conservation.
Senior Manager (European & International Affairs), Gozo Regional Development Authority
Senior Manager (European & International Affairs), Gozo Regional Development Authority
Dr Christian Zammit is a Maltese law graduate, public administrator and former Mayor of Xagħra, a town of around five thousand inhabitants on the Maltese island of Gozo. Active in politics and local governance for many years, he was first elected as a Xagħra Local Councillor in 2007 and later served as Mayor from 2019 until 2023.
During his tenure as Mayor, Dr Zammit became known for his advocacy on environmental protection, sustainable development and the preservation of Gozo’s cultural heritage. He frequently spoke out on issues related to overdevelopment and infrastructure pressures affecting the island.
Professionally, Dr Zammit has also held the role of Senior Manager for EU and International Affairs at the Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA) since 2022, where he has contributed to regional policy development, European affairs and international cooperation initiatives concerning Gozo’s socio-economic development.
Pro-Rector for Sustainability Sciences, University of Algarve
Dr. Vânia Serrão Sousa, Pro-Rector for Sustainability Sciences, University of Algarve
Vânia Serrão Sousa is Pro-Rector and researcher at the University of Algarve (Portugal), affiliated with CENSE-UALG and CHANGE Associate Laboratory. She has developed applied and collaborative research focused on water resources—from treatment and reuse to sustainable management—and on land–ocean interactions, with emphasis on contamination and its impacts on coastal ecosystems and communities. She combines research with teaching in sustainability, water sciences, marine pollution and blue development. She holds leading roles in EU and national projects, notably as Principal Investigator for UAlg in the MORFeuS consortium, and coordinates Citizen Science initiatives. She is co-responsible for the Castro Marim Marine Station and actively contributes to science–policy–society interfaces, including the European Climate Pact, advancing resilient and water-secure territories.
Senior Programme Manager, Samsoe Municipality
Jeppe Hermann, Senior Programme Manager, Samsoe Municipality
As Senior Programme Manager at Samsø Kommune, Jeppe Hermann leads transformative initiatives in Climate Adaptation, Green Transition, and Circular Economy. He collaborates with cross-sectoral stakeholders, managing a portfolio of high-impact projects funded by national and EU programs like Innovation Fund Denmark, HORIZON, LIFE, and INTERREG. His work focuses on sustainability, promoting systemic change through strategic management and innovative partnerships. Key initiatives, such as Samsø’s Climate Action Plan 2030-2040-2050, empower communities and organizations to adopt sustainable practices, enhancing environmental and economic resilience. Jeppe is a purpose-driven social innovation facilitator, adept at uniting people, knowledge, and resources to drive meaningful change across private, public, and non-profit sectors. Committed to lifelong learning, he continually enhances his skills to inspire and motivate organizations.
Researcher, NCSR Demokritos
Dr. Athanasios Sfetsos, Researcher, NCSR Demokritos
Dr. Athanasios Sfetsos, received a B.Sc. in Physics from University of Patras in 1995 and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College, University of London (1999). He is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences, Technology Energy and Safety at NCSR Demokritos and research collaborator with the Centre for Security Studies. His research interests are related to the impacts of climate change and Critical Infrastructure protection. He has co-authored more than 300 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings. He has participated in more than 40 EU and nationally funded projects and currently is the coordinator of Med-IREN project.
Moderators
Expert, Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe
Liane Girier-Dufournier, Junior Expert, Resilience and Climate Adaptation, ICLEI Europe
Liane Girier-Dufournier is a water resilience and climate change adaptation expert at the ICLEI European Secretariat. With a background in geography, specialising in hydrosystems and development, she has worked on water management and resilience projects at national, regional, and global scales. She is currently involved in EU-funded initiatives across Europe, helping cities advance climate-resilient water planning and governance. Previously, she worked at UNEP and the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, focusing on EU water policy, drought and pollution management, and international water cooperation. She holds an MSc in Climate Change Adaptation and an LL.M in Environmental and Urban Planning Law.