The regional impact of irrigation water pricing in Greece under alternative scenarios of European policy: a multicriteria analysis

Abstract

This study simulates the impact that various polices based upon the water price have on agricultural production and analyzes the economic, social and environmental implications of alternative irrigation water policies using a multicriteria model. For the purpose of scenario analysis, narratives and quantitative indicator values have been compiled. The results show that the increase of water price causes almost similar impacts with those that observed in the status quo scenario. The results also stress that water pricing as a single instrument for controlling irrigation water use is not a satisfactory tool for significantly reducing water consumption in agriculture.