This summer, many southern European countries face constant states of emergency due to water shortages, with around 30 per cent of people facing permanent water stress across the region. 36 per cent of people in Cyprus, and 32 per cent of people in Greece, reported difficulties accessing clean water in 2025, and in 2026, several Greek islands have entered states of emergency due to water stress.
Many parts of the region are facing what the UN has termed ‘water bankruptcy’ – in which groundwater and aquifers reach a state of no return to normal levels.
This week, UK climatetech company Ahbstra launched the ARK, a plug-and-play machine that harvests high-quality drinking water from air at up to 500L/day, even in dry and hot climates. This means the ARK can support a household (the average European uses 144L of tap water per day).
When the wells ran dry
I spoke to Ahbstra CEO Hashem Arouzi, who told me he was inspired to start the company when wells on his own property in Ibiza ran dry.
