On 16 September 2025, at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, the first stakeholders’ workshop of the ERC Water Futures Limassol Multi-Actor Forum was jointly organised by the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB), the KIOS Center of Excellence, the University of Cyprus, and the Limassol District Local Government Organization (EOAL).
The workshop, titled “Challenges in Water Resources Management: Addressing Water Scarcity and Fair Pricing,” brought together researchers, policymakers, and local organisations to discuss pressing challenges in water management during times of scarcity and to explore fair approaches to water pricing. It provided a platform for interdisciplinary teams and stakeholders to exchange ideas on the obstacles faced by the Cypriot water system, consider potential solutions and priorities, and foster cross-fertilisation between economics, engineering, and policy research.
Following a welcome by Professor Marios Polycarpou (University of Cyprus, KIOS Center of Excellence) and an opening presentation by Professor Phoebe Koundouri (AUEB & University of Cambridge) on the project’s overarching goals, Dr Demetris Eliades (University of Cyprus, KIOS) gave an overview of current water and demand management challenges in Cyprus.
The core of the workshop centred on two interactive activities facilitated by Ms Lydia Papadaki and Dr Conrad Landis (AUEB), together with Dr Stelios Vrahimis (KIOS). In the first activity, participants identified and validated key challenges—such as water losses, demand reduction, and droughts—while examining drivers, impacts, barriers, and possible solutions. The second activity focused on exploring fair water pricing approaches and their implications, using the interactive tool menti.com to capture participants’ perspectives.
The workshop concluded with a synthesis of the key outcomes and an outline of next steps by the research team, emphasising how the insights gathered will inform ongoing water pricing modelling efforts.
