We are very pleased to publish the results of our project, “Helping Homes Become Resilient in Climate-Affected Greece”, following our field research conducted in the earthquake-affected area of Arkalochori, Crete, and the flood-affected areas of Thessaly.
Aiming to understand how climate change affects people’s homes and everyday lives, while also exploring the real needs, challenges, and expectations of affected populations in the aftermath of extreme climate events, our research identified common patterns in the social, psychological, and housing impacts of the two disasters. Placing the human experience at the centre of the research, our fieldwork was grounded in in-depth interviews and personal testimonies, documenting what home, disaster, and resilience mean to those affected.
The findings highlight the loss of home as a key factor contributing to destabilisation and insecurity, the impacts of prolonged temporary housing on social resilience, the shift in housing priorities following climate-related trauma, and the need for long-term mental health support.
Aiming not only to collect data but also to inform policy development and effective interventions for communities affected by climate change, we developed a set of evidence-based policy recommendations built on the qualitative insights generated through the research. These recommendations are not theoretical proposals but emerged through the systematic analysis of the lived experiences of affected populations in Thessaly and Crete.
In addition, the recommendations cover the entire disaster management cycle, from prevention and preparedness to recovery and reconstruction, with the aim of supporting fairer and more effective public policies for protecting households and strengthening community resilience.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported our work in Thessaly and Crete, especially the affected residents for sharing their experiences, as well as the mayors, municipal staff, local organisations, and community stakeholders for their assistance and valuable insights. We also express our appreciation to the media professionals who helped communicate the project’s findings, and to the European Climate Foundation for supporting the implementation of the project.
Following the presentation of the research findings at two local events in Heraklion, Crete, and Mouzaki, Thessaly, the “Helping Homes Become Resilient in Climate-Affected Greece” project will conclude with a roundtable dialogue involving stakeholders and policymakers, during which the project’s results and policy recommendations will be displayed and discussed.
You can find available the presentation of the project results in English here.