Blue Flag in Italy - Technical kick off meeting for the 2024 season

The preparations for the Blue Flag application, evaluation, and implementation procedures for year 2024 have officially commenced in Italy.

A technical meeting organised by FEE Italia, implementing “Bandiera Blu” is held every year at the end of October to mark the beginning of the new Blue Flag year.

The event sees the participation of both municipalities that have already obtained the Blue Flag award, and of those that are in the process of adopting sustainability measures according to the continuous improvement framework of the Blue Flag programme.

Representatives of FEE Italia presenting key information about the programme´s implementation in Italy for the 2024 Blue Flag season.

The technical meeting was hosted in the premises of the Lazio regional authority, with the attendance of over 300 representatives from various municipal administrations.

The agenda of the meeting covered a variety of aspects related to the implementaiton of the Blue Flag programme in Italy, and introduced updates for the year 2024.

This year's primary focus was centered on the theme of accessibility in tourism, with valuable input from ENAT (European Network for Accessible Tourism), one of the Institutional Partners of the Blue Flag programme, whose representatives sit in the International Jury.

An overview of the participants in the meeting, consisting mainly of representatives from awarded municipalities and site managers in charge of the local implementation of the Blue Flag programme in Italy.

Furthermore, the Blue Flag Application Form developed by FEE Italia for the upcoming season now includes a new guideline criterion aimed at promoting local efforts for the establishment and improvement of renewable energy communities. This is an important environmental development addressing carbon emissions via the implementation of climate mitigation measures.

Sandbanks Restoration Education at Peró Beach, Brazil

The Peró coastal region, situated along the pristine Atlantic coast of Brazil, has long captivated the hearts of tourists. With its breathtaking vistas and pristine stretches of golden sand, it has become an attractive tourist destination. However, over the years, the influx of tourists has spurred the construction of more accommodations, residential complexes, and infrastructure, progressively encroaching upon the fragile coastal ecosystem. The sandbank vegetation areas, a vital component of this coastal landscape, have suffered the most from human pressures, further exacerbated by the speculative surge in real estate ventures and the expansion of livestock farming.

In response to these challenges, the Peró Residents Association, and the Veiga de Almeida University initiated a sandbank restoration project at Peró Beach with the support of the Blue Flag Peró site managers. The Blue Flag Programme and the Instituto Ambientes em Rede (IAR) have always encouraged Blue Flag-awarded sites to work in cooperation with local institutions to promote the preservation of areas surrounding awarded sites. This story from Peró Beach highlights the opportunities to engage local communities with environmental conservation and education by bringing together undergraduate students, professors, biologists, and technicians from Veiga de Almeida University (UVA) as well as public authorities.

Students surveying the study area.

The project began with a comprehensive survey of the study area guided by a biologist. Soil samples were collected and analysed for moisture content, organic matter content, FE³+ ion content, pH, and potassium and phosphate levels. Based on the findings, the team divided the study area into three distinct quadrants:

·       Quadrant 1 received a combination of sewage plant sludge (solid material remaining after the wastewater treatment process, typically consisting of organic and inorganic matter), landfill, and plant litter;

·       Quadrant 2 was treated with silt from a sewage plant, cake, and plant litter;

·       Quadrant 3 served as the control group and received only a single layer of landfill.

The landfill and plant litter (e.g., dry leaves) used in the experiment were sourced from the surrounding area.

Division of the study area into three quadrants.

Dry leaves to retain soil moisture.

In the initial phase of the study, legumes such as Phaseolus vulgaris (black beans) and Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea) were sown to facilitate nitrogen fixation. In the subsequent phase, native fruit-bearing plants like Myrciaria guaquiea (Guaquica) and Eugenia uniflora (pitanga) were planted to attract arthropods and birds, thereby enhancing the local food chain. Native plants were chosen for their symbiotic relationships with local fauna, as they produce fruits and seeds that are highly attractive to wildlife.

Regular monitoring was conducted, with the students measuring bean sprout monthly growth and weekly visits to the study area to document plant development through photographic records. Despite meticulous planning and execution, unforeseen challenges emerged during the project. An anthill encroached upon Quadrant 2, but the students successfully mitigated it using coffee grounds. However, the final setback was posed by domestic cattle, which, due to the inability to build a protective fence, freely entered the quadrants. These cattle consumed the newly developed leaves of the sprouts and trampled the ground, ultimately forcing the research to conclude in November 2021.

Soil samples laboratory analyses from the three distinct quadrants.

Overall, the project showcased the possibility of restoring degraded areas by stimulating biogeochemical processes without relying on chemical fertilizers. The addition of silt and sludge improved soil quality, particularly in Quadrants 1 and 2, where potassium and phosphate levels increased. The presence of arthropods attracted birds, further enhancing ecosystem processes. Additionally, the presence of dry leaves helped retain soil moisture and shield it from intense sunlight.

Despite its challenges, this project not only offers insights into a cost-effective approach to sludge management but also holds the promise of a method for restoring degraded sandbank vegetation areas. Moreover, involving students, provides an educational opportunity for the next generation of nature restorers, fostering students’ scientific and environmental observation skills.

Instituto Ambientes em Rede (IAR), acts as a FEE Member Organisation in Brazilfor the implementation of the Blue Flag programme, and of other FEE programmes, such as Green Key, Eco-Schools, Learning About Forests, and Young Reporters for the Environment.

To explore IAR's extensive work with conserving natural ecosystems and promoting socio-cultural development through environmental citizenship visit its site here.

For more information about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and opportunities for involvement, please visit the following link.

This article is part of our UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration series, which highlights the projects and activities of FEE members that contribute to the UN Decade.

15th National, 1st International Blue Flag Local Representatives Turkish Seminar

During the event, there will be Blue Flag 30th year International Panel with the speakers from FEE Global (Johann Durand), FEE Spain-ADEAC (Virginia Yuste Abad), FEE Greece-HSPN (Almila Kindan Cebbari), FEE Turkiye-TURCEV.

The event will be followed by speeches from nationally important actors of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. There will be two different best practice site visits to the biggest environmental renovation project of Turkish Republic which is Izmit Bay Mud Removal Project area and Ormanya Biodiversity Reserve and Educational Natural Life Park.

The remaining itinerary is left to best practice pressentations from coastal municipalities and local assocations related to Blue Flag criteria and the responsibilities of local responsibles. The participants will be from 50 different coastal municipalities as well as beach responsibles.

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Develops its Climate Action Plan as a Signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) has taken another significant step towards delivering effective Climate Action in the Tourism sector.

As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration, FEE has pledged to develop and implement an Action Plan focused on addressing climate change impacts in tourism. The plan will be reviewed annually to ensure transparency and accountability.

The Glasgow Declaration was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in November 2021. It is a voluntary commitment requiring organisations to deliver action plans within 12 months of their becoming signatories. These pledges should be aligned with five pathways: Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate and Finance.

The Glasgow Declaration encourages the acceleration of climate action in tourism by securing commitments to reduce emissions in the tourism sector by at least 50% over the next decade.

The objectives of FEE’s Action Plan for Climate Action are strongly connected aligned with FEE´s GAIA 20:30 strategy’s Climate Action pillar, as well as with the global goal of reaching net zero emissions as soon as possible, before 2050.

FEE aims to implement global actions through its five programmes, with a particular focus on Blue Flag and Green Key International, renowned for their sustainable tourism initiatives and broad network of destinations and hospitality establishments.

In the coming years, FEE has outlined key objectives to guide its actions, in particular:

• Support member organisations in the FEE network to deliver quality change action and develop Climate Action Plans, while providing access to tools and resources to do so.

• Wherever possible, align the criteria of its sustainable tourism programmes with the goals and with the five pathways of the Glasgow Declaration (Measure, Decarbonise, Regenerate, Collaborate and Finance).

• Promote a culture of measurement and monitoring of carbon emissions. This will involve analyzing energy consumption, waste management practices and other relevant factors in order to form a basis for targeted emission reduction strategies throughout the network.

The Foundation for Environmental Education builds initiatives and activities together with and for its broad network of organisations in around 80 countries all over the world. More than 5000 sites are awarded the Blue Flag in more than 50 countries, and more than 4000 sites are certified with the Green Key in more than 60 countries. FEE aims at taking the role of a strategic multiplier for the Glasgow Declaration effort.

To read the Glasgow Declaration Action Plan of the Foundation for Environmental Education, click the picture below:

By fostering collaboration, promoting sustainable practices, and raising awareness, FEE’s Action Plan for Climate Action aims at inspiring positive change, and at contributing to global efforts in mitigating climate change locally, nationally, and globally.

The first Blue Flags have been awarded to beaches in the continental United States of America

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA), running the Blue Flag programme in the continental USA, Alaska and Hawaii is pleased to announce the first Blue Flags in the United States. The Blue Flags have been awarded to two magnificent beaches: Westward in Malibu and Delray in Delray. 

The awards are a testament of the sites’ continuous efforts and commitment to the implementation of the Blue Flag criteria. The awarded beaches will now offer educational activities to the public. Information about the activities will be posted on their respective sites’ information boards. 

 Annie Mercer, the Program Coordinator for the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA), says:  

“Our sites have worked hard for several months to implement and maintain more than 30 diverse criteria to achieve award status. Their staff and communities can raise their flags with pride for going above and beyond US standards to receive international recognition for sustainable management practices.” 

The Blue Flags will fly over Westward Beach from May 25 to September 30, 2023, and over Delray Beach Municipal Beach from May 19, 2023, to April 30, 2024. 

Staff from the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors started with the programme in 2020, and officially started the implementation of the programme, as a pilot site in 2021.   

Gary Jones, the Director for the County of Los Angeles’s Department of Beaches and Harbors adds:  

“We’re thrilled and honored that the Westward Beach portion of world-famous Zuma Beach will fly one of the first Blue Flags in the United States. The Blue Flag will provide visitors with extra assurance that we are responsibly caring for our coast.” 
 

The City of Delray Beach entered the programme as a candidate beach in early 2022 and submitted its full application in the same year.  

Shelly Petrolia, the Delray Beach Mayor, says:  

“With the Atlantic Ocean at our doorstep, Delray Beach is proud to have a beautiful, world-class beach to call our own. I am especially grateful for the dedicated individuals who have put so much effort into ensuring that our natural beach is safe, accessible and that beachgoers are educated about our conservation initiatives.” 

Blue Flag Turkey held the 10th Beach Blue Flag Representative Training

The Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkiye (TÜRCEV), running the Blue Flag programme in the country, organised the 10th Representative Training on Wednesday, 26th of April 2023.  The training took place online for the entire day.   

© Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkey (TURÇEV) 

For a succesful implementation of the programme, it is important that the representatives operating the Blue Flag-awarded beaches, marinas and tourism boats undergo training in order to ensure that the strict criteria are met and implemented correctly.  

The programme includes a variety of criteria related to environmental management, environmental information and education, safety and services, and water quality, therefore it is important that such a range of different aspects are taken into consideration with a holistic and a positive, solution-based approach. National Operators and FEE Member Organisations have an important role as collectors of knowledge, good and best practices, which can be reproduced across the Blue Flag network, building on each other´s experience to allow for continuous improvement and Integrated Coastal Management. 

A total of 505 people participated in the training, 260 of whom were trainers and representatives of the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, Health, and Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change. At the start of the training, representatives from the ministries shared information about their contributions to the Blue Flag programme. 

We would like to congratulate all the participants who completed the training and Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkey - FEE Turkey - for the incredible efforts to train and educate about sustainable development! 

Best practice competition results for the Northern Hemisphere 2023 International Evaluation

2023 - Northern Hemisphere, Blue Flag International invited the National Operators to share examples of Best Practices related to the following topics: “Accessibility and Access for All” and “Energy savings and management”.  

45 Best Practices have been submitted by 29 countries as part of this round.

The best practices were presented to the International Jury during the International Jury meeting and were evaluated based on their reproducibility and impact.  

The final rankings are reported below, specifying the winning Best Practice and the countries and management bodies they were submitted from.  

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For the category “Accessibility / Access for all”, the ranking is as follows:

1. ‘The beach must be for everyone’

Martinsicuro Municipality (Italy)

© Martinsicuro Municipality (Italy)

2. ‘MIND barrier-free’

Suma beach, Kobe Municipality (Japan)

© Suma Beach (Japan)

3.’ BEACHES accessible for everyone’

Komotini Municipality (Greece)

© Komotini Municipality (Greece)

In Italy, Handisport 2000 built Martinsicuro, stands out as a fully accessible bathing establishment where young people with disabilities are employed. Japan's mind barrier-free project aims to create inclusive beach experiences and challenge societal perceptions, while Greece's Municipality of Komotini has installed access systems and mechanisms for people with mobility limitations and visual impairments, making it one of the most accessible cities in the country.

These efforts collectively demonstrate a commitment to fostering accessibility and ensuring that everyone can enjoy beach destinations.

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The second category “Energy savings and management” ended up with the following results:

1. ‘Turning green and becoming energy independent’

Mediterranean Village Hotel & Spa (Greece)

© Mediterranean Village Hotel & Spa (Greece)

2. ‘The green energy mission of Albena’

Albena AD (Bulgaria)

© Albena AD (Bulgaria)

3. ‘Environmental education and innovation center’

Antalya Municipality (Turkey)

© Antalya Municipality (Turkey)

The Mediterranean Village & Spa in Greece is transitioning into an energy-independent destination through various actions such as recycling, energy-saving systems, and use of renewable energy sources. It proudly maintains the Green Key certification and the Blue Flag on its beach. Antalya Municipality in Turkey focuses on environmental education, organizing workshops for raising awareness. Albena in Bulgaria, a Blue Flag beach, emphasizes sustainability through solar energy, circular economy principles, and green transportation, producing 50% of its energy from renewables.

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The best practices will be promoted on the Blue Flag social media channels, so stay tuned!

We would like to congratulate all the winners and thank all participants, as our Best Practices play a key role in the network, they provide relevant inspiration and contribute to sharing knowledge on sustainability across sites all over the world.  

One of FEE’s GAIA fellows attended the 5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) in Vancouver, Canada

Achare Elvis Ayamba, the Founder & Executive Director of the Environment and Food Foundation (E2F) and one of the FEE’s GAIA fellows, attended the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), a global forum that brings together ocean conservation professionals and high-level officials to inform, inspire and act on marine protected areas.

The GAIA fellowship challenges young people to create and develop their own solution to an environmental-related problem and become sustainable leaders. Ayamba is committed to building a sustainable future for Cameroon and Africa where people and nature thrive, striving on a clear path to sustainable, low carbon, and resilient development. 

Various topics were covered during IMPAC5, such as the urgency to protect ocean biodiversity, the importance of indigenous partnerships in order to have successful conservation programs in indigenous territories, and innovation and transformation change.  

Protecting global biodiversity and working to promote sustainable management of the coastal zone is near and dear to our hearts. In fact, it’s one of the three overarching goals of our 10-year strategy, GAIA20:30.  

The congress was a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, best practices, and innovative ideas to ensure the full and effective implementation of target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, developed at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15), which reads:  

“Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of 
coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and 
ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through 
ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected 
areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and 
traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes 
and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such 
areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the 
rights of indigenous peoples and local communities including over their traditional 
territories.” 

Achare Elvis Ayamba, the Founder & Executive Director of the Environment and Food Foundation (E2F) adds: 

“IMPAC5 has provided yet another wake-up call regarding the reality faced by many local communities around the world currently suffering and adapting to climate change. Through this Congress, we have learned and witnessed the extraordinary resilience, and innovation grounded in local and traditional knowledge.”

The congress provided valuable information on how FEE and Blue Flag can make a contribution to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030 and support the ecosystems supporting life.  

The first Blue Flags have been awarded to resorts in Argentina

On 18th January 2023, the ceremony for the awarding of the first Blue Flags obtained by Argentinian resorts was held in Mar del Plata. Two Argentinian beaches, namely Balneario San Sebastián (La Perla) and Balneario Mediterraneo (Punta Mogotes Complex), received the Blue Flag award.  

“Beaches are normally seen as recreational environments, but they are also natural ecosystems susceptible to degradation, and therefore it is necessary to take measures for their conservation and sustainable use. Beaches are coastal-marine interface environments. They are fragile and dynamic and are home to an enormous biodiversity. From the National Ministry of Environment, we encourage actions for education, conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystems.”

 - Gabriela Gonzalez Trilla, National Director of Environmental Management of Water and Aquatic Ecosystems at the Argentinian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development 

This achievement comes as a result of efforts and dedication by the local authorities, which first implemented a submarine outfall in Mar del Plata in 2014 and later completed the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in 2018, ensuring that Mar del Plata's beaches comply with the same parameters required by the European Union for recreational waters in terms of sanitation and water quality.  

Mar del Plata was chosen as the first Municipality to implement in its resorts the 33 Blue Flag criteria for beaches as a result of a feasibility study conducted in 2018. The criteria include requirements in the fields of environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, as well as safety and services.

Present at the National Awarding ceremony of season 2022/2023 were Francesca Abeltino - Executive Director of FEE Argentina, Bernardo Martin - President of Emtur of Mar del Plata, Fernando Maurade - Administrator of Punta Mogotes Complex, Marcelo Scagliola - Quality Manager of OSSE.

During the ceremony, Hernán Roitman, - National Director of Quality in Tourism Innovation of the National Ministry of Tourism and Sports, addressed the relevance of the Blue Flag programme for the development of the tourism sector in Argentina: 

“Tourism Sustainability is one of the pillars of the policies of the Ministry of Tourism, so we support all initiatives that improve the environmental and social standards of the sector. The collaboration between Blue Flag and the Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism is materialized with this distinction and initiates a joint work to have environmentally sustainable beaches and resorts.” 

Blue Flag represented at UN Biodiversity Conference COP15

This month, the CEO of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Daniel Schaffer, attended the UN Biodiversity Conference: COP15 in Montréal, representing Blue Flag and the other FEE programmes.

The 15th Conference of Parties was focusing on setting up new goals for nature protection and solutions to fight biodiversity loss and developing an action plan on how the goals can be achieved worldwide within the next decade.

Various topics were covered during the COP15 such as the role of education to enhance biological diversity and the importance of collaboration and partnership in reversing biodiversity loss.

© UN Biodiversity Nature and Culture Summit at COP15 on 12th December 2022

The institutional partner of Blue Flag, ICLEI- Local Governments for Cities, shared examples of how partners and local governments commit to preserving nature and introduced CitiesWithNature, which is a shared platform for cities who want to work together towards a more sustainable world by committing to reconnect the communities with the nature.

Daniel Schaffer spoke about how cities commit to restoring beaches with an example of how the Blue Flag, together with ICLEI and CitiesWithNature, work on this commitment. On top of that, he announced that ICLEI became a member of the Blue Flag International Jury.

The CEO of FEE also attended The Nature and Culture Summit 2022, aimed at sharing the experiences and knowledge on the connection between biological diversity and culture, and at finding new ways to integrate nature and culture through global partnerships . During this event, Mr Daniel Schaffer discussed new approaches to communication, education, and public awareness raising, linking biological and cultural diversity.

© Pablo Ferrero, FEE’s CEO Daniel Schaffer at COP15

In 2021, FEE launched a GAIA 20:30 Strategy to address the climate crisis and to drive positive action on critical environmental issues. The strategy includes three main goals, including one on the protection of global biodiversity. Therefore, COP15 provided a lot of valuable information on how the FEE and Blue Flag can make a contribution to the conservation and protection of biodiversity and of the ecosystems supporting life.

Blue Flag has a new International Jury Member

Earlier this year, the Foundation for Environmental Education signed a collaboration agreement with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, a project-based Non-Profit and Public Benefit Organisation operating for the benefit of cities, nature, and people.

Since then, ICLEI has been partnering with the Blue Flag, and we are very happy to announce that ICLEI is now joining the Blue Flag International Jury, where the expertise of such an organization can be used further for the development of the Blue Flag programme and of its awarded sites.

ICLEI is active in 125+ countries, and through its cooperation with local and regional governments, it focuses to anticipate challenges such as urbanization, climate change, ecosystem degradation, and inequity.  Based on data and scientific evidence, they invest in the knowledge and design of new solutions and in the sustainable development of cities.

The Blue Flag International Jury consists of members from international key organisations with different focus and expertise, representing various groups and stakeholders.

Along with its many merits, ICLEI was chosen as an International Jury Member as it represents and brings the perspective of local and regional governments from many different towns and cities. Moreover, its focus on low-emission, nature-based and circular development in cities is aligned with FEE’s GAIA 20:30 strategy, defined by three goals: to Empower Climate Action, Protect Global Biodiversity, and Reduce Environmental Pollution.

Cooperation with organisations that have the same goals and focus can help us build better strategies and accelerate the transition to a sustainable society.

Blue Flag Turkey held the 14th “Blue Flag Local Officials Training Seminar”

The Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkey (TURÇEV) - running the Blue Flag programme in the country - organized the 14th training seminar focusing on the training of Local Responsible Persons, which took place in the Star Resort Hotel in Antalya, lasting 3 days from 23rd November 2022.

© Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkey (TURÇEV)

A total of 39 coastal municipalities, 4 local tourism and environmental associations participated in the training, as well as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Coast Guard Command, the METU Erdemli Marine Sciences Institute, Akdeniz University, Adnan Menderes University, Turkey Underwater Sports Federation, Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Water and Wastewater Administration, and Tourism for All Association.

Abdulkadir ATEŞ, chairman of the board of TURÇEV, made the following statement:

“Our foundation, as a national organization is working to achieve the educational goal for sustainable development, aims to protect the coasts of our country and leave it to future generations with the same quality as our generation carries out its work.”

And added that the Blue Flag programme plays a crucial role in achieving this goal and supporting environmental protection and sustainable tourism development."

© Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkey (TURÇEV)

Every year, the Foundation for Environmental Education in Turkey provides training to all the stakeholders of coastal tourism such as local governments, tourism associations, and marina and yacht operators. The training is organized at the national level to provide up-to-date information about the Blue Flag programme, about environmental problems, and about critical issues in coastal management, as well as to exchange ideas and to share the experiences of local officials who carry out exemplary practices in their region.

At the end of the training, all the participants received a completion certificate and had the possibility to join the city tour of Side Ancient City, hosted by Manavgat Municipality.

Two tourism boats were awarded Blue Flag in Tobago

Destination Tobago continues to leave its global mark in sustainable tourism development as two glass-bottom boats, Ms Ayana and Cool Runnings, were awarded the Blue Flag. This comes as a continuation of 2021, when the first tourism boat Top Catch Charters, was awarded the Blue Flag.

These three tourism boats were the only boats awarded with the Blue Flag in the entire English-speaking Caribbean, thanks to funding from the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) Trinidad and Tobago. 

The UNDP GEF SGP, which provides grant funds for projects focusing on biodiversity protection, nature restoration, pollution reduction, and climate change, funded the “Reducing environmental footprint and improving eco-friendly Blue Economy by supporting Blue Flag certification for small tour boat operators in Tobago” project, thanks to which the awarded boats were able to make sustainable adaptations and meet the Blue Flag criteria. 

National Coordinator of GEF SGP Trinidad and Tobago Dr Sharda Mahabir shared her congratulations and expectations:

“GEF SGP is pleased to support Green T&T in their efforts to strengthen tourism by certifying boat operators under Blue Flag. This certification will put our beautiful sister isle on the map in terms of initiatives in support of the Blue Economy. We look forward to positive outcomes and benefits coming out of this project and more GEF SGP projects on the sister isle.”

© Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities & Transportation

The Blue Flag awarding ceremony took place at Pigeon Point Heritage Park, where the National Coordinator of Green T&T, Mrs Lewis, running the Blue Flag programme in Trinidad and Tobago, awarded the tourism boats together with the Tobago Tourism Agency. During the awarding ceremony Mrs Lewis stated her excitement: 

“Becoming a sustainable tourism operator seemed almost impossible and out of reach for many of the tourism-based businesses in Trinidad and Tobago, especially since the Covid restrictions almost destroyed their businesses. However, time, commitment and passion for change motivated the new and existing operators to become advocates for the environment. Tobago is making its mark and championing the cause for real change in the environmental sphere.” 

Moreover, Councillor Tashia Grace Burris of The Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, responsible for tourism development of Tobago, encouraged new Blue Flag awardees to increase awareness about the Blue Flag programme and therefore add to Tobago’s destination competitiveness : 

“Each of you who has now attained this standard now has the responsibility to talk to your friends in the sector… so that we can all aspire to meet these standards. If we have more and more persons coming onboard with certifications such as Blue Flag and Green Key, then Tobago is sending a signal – not just nationally, not just regionally, but internationally – that we are serious about our tourism offerings. We are serious about getting it right. We are serious about ensuring that the person who visits this island can get the highest quality of service and the highest quality of experience.”

Best practice competition results for both, Northern and Southern Hemisphere

As part of the International Evaluation 2022/2023, Blue Flag International invited the National Operators to share the Best Practice examples, which were related to the two topics: Climate Change Education and Climate Action, and Blue Flag programme and synergies/joint activities with other FEE programmes.

All the best practice examples were then presented to the International Jury during the International Jury meeting and were evaluated based on their reproducibility, accessibility and impact.

The best practices examples were evaluated separately for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, and the top 3 best practices chosen will be promoted on Blue Flag social media in 2023.

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The final ranking for the top three best practices from the Northern Hemisphere for the category “Climate Change Education and Climate Change Action” is as follows:

1. Summer Academy for Environmental Educators

   Skyros Municipality, Greece
   

2. Simple Beach, as in Simple Life

   MRG BUILD Ltd, Bulgaria
   

3. Odesa beach efforts to improve conditions for disabled visitors

   Odes'ka Oblast State Administration, Ukraine
   

However, the International Jury have also awarded a special mention to multiple Best Practice examples in the same category:

• Renewable energy with solar panels - Lagunen Camping, Sweden

• Traditional lifesaving exercise week - Kyiv, Ukraine

• A Night with Moon and Stars - Corinth, Greece

© Skyros Municipality (Summer Academy for Environmental Educators - Greece)

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The second category “Synergies/joint activities with other FEE programmes” ended up with the following results:

1. The Impact of Plastics

Geroskipou Municipality, Cyprus

2. 30 Years of Blue: A History of the Blue Flag Programme in County Clare

Clare County, Ireland

3. From forest to sea, and sea to forest - LEAF and Blue Flag environmental education

Fujisawa, Japan

The following best practices were awarded special mention in this category:

• Exhibition of children drawings “I want to grow near the clean sea” – Palanga, Lithuania

• Installation of the fish spawning grounds - Limbaži , Latvia

• Magic Touch to Nature, 5 Short Films by Eco-Schools - Alanya Municipality, Turkey

• Eco-Schools in the Blue Flag beach - Wando County, South Korea

© Geroskipou Municipality (The Impact of Plastics Addressed by the Geroskipou Municipality - Cyprus)

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The top 3 best practices for the Southern Hemisphere selected by International Jury on 14th September 2022 for the “Climate Change Education and Climate Change Action” category are the following:

1. Living Sand Project

Guarujá, Brazil

2. Signing of the agreement for the conservation and management of the coastal zone

Dominican Republic

3. Clean Energy with Solar panels

Iate Clube de Santa Catarina, Brazil

© Guarujá Municipality (Living Sand Project - Brazil)

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For the Southern Hemisphere, the winning Best Practice of the category “Synergies/joint activities with other FEE programmes” is:

Eco-Schools at a Blue Flag beach

Vega Baja Municipality, (Puerto Rico)

© Vega Baja Municipality (Eco Schools at a Blue Flag beach - Puerto Rico)

We would like to congratulate all the winners and thank everyone for participating, especially, because Best Practices play a key role in the network, as they provide relevant inspiration and contribute to sharing knowledge on sustainability across sites all over the world.

Blue Flag and Living Ports: Improve How Future Working Waterfronts Look And Function

Blue Flag and Living Ports are partnering to change how working waterfronts impact local marine ecosystems and coastal communities using ECOncrete bio-enhancing technology. 

The Living Ports Project in the Port of Vigo (Spain) is catalyzing groundbreaking concrete infrastructure technology, and Blue Flag is contributing the expertise in environmental awareness building with immersive educational content for the public. The EU funded consortium project led by ECOncrete models the potential for ports worldwide to incorporate ecological infrastructure and public outreach. An integral part of the project also concerns biological monitoring performed by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).

ECOncrete is the global leader in bio-enhancing concrete technology for marine construction, with over a decade of experience and research data from marine concrete projects around the world. 

Educational content for sub-surface observatory 

Alongside ECOncrete’s bio-enhancing concrete installations at the Port is the first of its kind underwater observatory, the Nautilus, built by Cardama Shipyards. The observatory will provide the public with a subsurface view of marine life, the port's traffic, and ECOncrete’s bio-enhancing quay-wall. Blue Flag is informing the content to be displayed for visitors to meaningfully connect with the local marine environment through the topics of biodiversity, noise pollution, and local bathymetry.

Educating about the importance of working waterfronts

“We formed ECOncrete with the grand vision of changing the way future waterfronts will look and function. Our technology allows for responsible coastal and marine construction, and brings back important ecosystem services to the waterfronts of cities and ports worldwide,” says ECOncrete CEO, Ido Sella and adds: “In partnership with Blue Flag, we can reach a wider audience of ocean users, and educate the next generation on the importance of supporting natural resources in urbanized and working waterfronts.”

The collaboration between Living Ports Project and Blue Flag will advance the cause of bringing ecological considerations and awareness to coastal infrastructure across the world.

The Foundation for Environmental Education signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism

We are very proud to announce that earlier this year the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) has become a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Together with its tourism programmes, Blue Flag and Green Key, FEE has committed to creating action plans that can help to reduce climate change and limit the negative impacts of tourism.

© UNWTO

The Glasgow Declaration is a voluntary commitment of organisations, led by UNWTO in collaboration with the Travel Foundation, aiming to combat climate change in tourism. The initiative was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021. The Foundation for Environmental Education signed the declaration on 30th May 2022, and agreed to various commitments, such as:

To support the global commitment to halve its own emissions by 2030 and reach Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050. To deliver climate action plans and publicly report on their progress within the 12 months from the day of becoming a signatory. And to align future plans with the five pathways of the Declaration (Measure, Decarbonise, Regenerate, Collaborate and Finance) and to report on their progress publicly on annual basis.

Moreover, FEE will promote the Glasgow Declaration through its tourism-related programmes, Blue Flag and Green Key, which will encourage other tourism organisations to become signatories of the Glasgow Declaration. The promotion of the Glasgow Declaration within the wide network of both tourism programmes can help to reach the goal faster and build a better future. Sister programmes, Blue Flag and Green Key, will also work on their action plans and further develop their criteria, so that they can align with the five pathways of the Declaration.

To learn more about the Glasgow Declaration, click here.

Over 40 Blue Flag National Operators meet again after three years of virtual meetings.

The Blue Flag National Operators Meeting 2022 was held from the 13th until the 16th of October in Madeira, Portugal. With the participation of national operators from 43 countries, strategic discussions, thematic working groups, best practices and partners’ meetings were on the agenda to pave the future of the Blue Flag. We also welcomed 11 new countries and national operators to the team.

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Our meeting started by sharing highlights from the last year from the international direction of the programme, including FEE’s Biodiversity Campaign 2022, our participation in the United Nations Ocean Conference, supporting the UN Ecosystem Restoration Decade, FEE becoming a signatory of the UNFCCC Glasgow Declaration, and the ongoing “Running Out of Time” campaign.

The discussion continued with the strategic development of the Blue Flag programme, specifically in regard to the FEE’s GAIA 20:30 strategy. We discussed the next steps towards the implementation of the strategy in the Blue Flag programme, the role of Blue Flag in the sustainable management of coastal zones and best practices shared by national operators.

Break-out groups and interactive sessions, where national operators and FEE Board Members shared their knowledge and expertise, provided valuable feedback and ideas to implement in the coming years.

“ The Blue Flag NOM in Madeira celebrated 35 years of this unique sustainable tourism and coastal management programme. I am inspired by the National Operators’ reflections to contribute to FEE’s GAIA 20:30 strategy. Countries in the Global South, with socio-economic and environmental governance contexts that are quite different from those in regions where Blue Flag has historically developed, provide opportunities for new approaches. The possibility of improved environment management with local economic development planning can help expand and renew the Blue Flag programme in more challenging contexts. Strengthening Education for Sustainable Development at Blue Flag sites is an imperative as the world needs many more committed and creative actors for climate action, biodiversity conservation and pollution control.”

- Sanskriti Menon, the chairperson of the Blue Flag NOM and FEE Board Member

As part of the National Operators Meeting activities, the Blue Flag team visited the Municipality of Funchal, where 35 Blue Flag flags, one for each year of the programme’s operations, were raised to witness the evolution of Blue Flag´s history.

“ Standing in front of those thirty-five Blue Flags, knowing that each of those represents the hard work of thousands of local site operators, and local communities to make their sites environmentally sustainable, accessible and safe for tourists, really made me realize how connected the Blue Flag network is and has been towards the same objective, that is achieving sustainability for the people, for the planet, and for the prosperity of generations to come.”

- Alessandro Venti, International Blue Flag Coordinator

We would like to express gratitude to our Portuguese member organisation ABAE, for hosting this year’s national operator meeting and to everyone who participated and helped to strengthen our global network.

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Blue Flag Corporate Partners presented at the National Operator Meeting 2022

During the Blue Flag National Operator meeting, our corporate partners: Semaphore Signs, Pick a Pier, Poralu marine/The Searial Cleaners and ECOncrete shared more information about their work, the impact they have on the marine industry, and our shared efforts embedded in strong partnerships.

Below, you can read more information about each partner or visit their website to learn more about their work.

Semaphore Signs: the Blue Flag flag producer

The first corporate partner presenting its work during our National Operator Meeting was Semaphore Signs. Semaphore was one of the first companies in the world to use recycled PET materials for creating flags and banners. Its PETflag products build on resources that would otherwise be considered waste, closing some of the pollution streams that would compromise environmental quality. At the end of PETflag products’ lives, customers have the option to send the worn flags back, for them to be used once again and upcycled into art pieces or other handy items by artists and craftsmen.

Moreover, all their products are produced in the EU, and Semaphore compensates all CO2 emissions from production and the shipping of the Blue Flag flags through the FEE's Global Forest Fund.

© Blue Flag International

Pick a Pier

Pick a Pier was founded in 2017 with the goal of optimising the use of marina berths and promoting sustainable sailing and maritime tourism. They have created an online platform, which helps to connect boaters and marinas and improve their communication.

The platform enables boaters to easily find and book a stay and inform about their future travels, which saves time, resources, improves the customer reservation process, and at the same time increases the environmental practices of the marina industry.

For marinas, on the other hand, Pick a Pier’s platform helps to optimise the use of the existing berth which increases both sustainability and profitability.

If you want to learn more about Pick a Pier, visit their website here.

The Searial Cleaners

The Searial Cleaners is a brand of Poralu Marine, offering a range of cleaning technologies dedicated to fight marine pollution on the coastline, ports, marinas, waterways and on sandy beaches. Because 90% of the waste found in the sea comes from the coastline, they developed innovative products to limit the waste before it reaches the sea. Click here, to learn more about BeBot, Collec´Thor, PixieDrone and InvisiBubble: The Searial Cleaners’ technological solutions ranging from waste collectors, to beach screeners and bubble barriers.

© Blue Flag International

ECOncrete

ECOncrete is the newest partner of Blue Flag. Founded in 2012, this company is recognized globally for pioneering the research and development of Bio-Enhancing Concrete Technology, which promotes marine biodiversity and enables responsible marine construction.

Traditional concrete is associated with negative environmental impact due to habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, and dominance of invasive species. On the other hand, Bio-Enhancing Concrete Technology encourages biological recruitment thanks to its material composition, its surface complexity supports marine life settlement, and its macro-design supports growth and survival.

If you are interested in reading more about ECOncrete, click here.

© Blue Flag International

Blue Flag Italy organized a Technical Meeting 2023, which started a new campaign for the next season

Every year, at the end of October, Blue Flag Italy holds a technical meeting, which marks the beginning of the Italian Blue Flag campaign for the next bathing season. The meeting brings together the municipalities who already had the Blue Flag awarded beaches, together with the ones who just received the Blue Flag award and started their journey towards sustainability. 

© Blue Flag Italy

The technical meeting took place in Rome on October 26th, in the headquarters of the Lazio Region, with over 300 representatives. During the meeting, all the different aspects of the programme were addressed and the innovations that will be used in the next Blue Flag campaign were introduced. This year, the meeting was especially focused on waste-water treatment and management.

© Blue Flag Italy

Moreover, FEE Italy has presented its challenge, which is the continuing education program for local administrators and municipal technicians on issues regarding sustainable development and planning of their territories. 

For over 35 years, FEE Italy has been supporting municipalities in their path toward sustainable development, where training always played a major role. Therefore, continuing education will be guaranteed and managed by FEE Italy through the new e-learning platform UNIGEA, which is the higher education school for sustainable development especially dedicated to Blue Flag, Green Spikes, Eco-Schools and Green Key.

The courses in this e-learning platform aim to increase knowledge and skills through an interdisciplinary approach. Administrators and technicians of the Blue Flag municipalities will be required to carry out at least two training modules on various issues relating to sustainability every year. 

The Foundation for Environmental Education partners with CitiesWithNature to promote healthier and greener cities and towns.

In 2014, around 55% of the global population was living in urban environments. This marks a historical moment, as it is the first year in which cities count for a higher share of inhabitants than rural areas. As demographics predict this percentage to keep increasing in the future, more and more attention is drawn on how to make cities sustainable while protecting nature and preventing loss and damage to the ecosystems we depend on.

In this context, urban planning evolves to incorporate nature as both something to be protected because of its intrinsic value, but also as a solution to present and future challenges in the built environment. Ecosystem services provided by nature in the cities become valuable resources to regulate temperature, air quality, and water balance, while at the same time contributing to the aesthetic identity of the location and to recreational opportunities for its inhabitants and tourists.

Among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030, SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” is the one embodying the concept of integrating nature and urban management as one. The SDG´s targets prescribe, among other things, “universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces”, as well as the implementation of “integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters”, often achieved by smart nature-based solutions.

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“We know that we can achieve more together than separately and will strive to make the most of our collaboration as we implement solutions for people and the planet.
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— Daniel Schaffer, CEO of the Foundation for Environmental Education

In this context, ICLEI, TNC and IUCN, along with supporting bodies such as the CBD and other international partners, founded CitiesWithNature, a unique initiative promoting and strenghtening the value of nature in and around cities across the world.

The Foundation for Environmental Education and ICLEI have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) acknowledging their common goals (especially in light of FEE´s GAIA 20:30 strategy), as well as establishing common actions to endorse sustainability across both networks. In particular, as the Blue Flag programme is present in thousands of municipalities across the world with its award for beaches, marinas and tourism boats, the partnership becomes an exceptional opportunity to spread best practices and invite new cities to take an active stance in the green transition.

At the same time, CitiesWithNature recognises the Blue Flag programme and other FEE programmes as virtuous examples supporting education for sustainable development (ESD) and sustainable tourism. Indeed, the Blue Flag criteria call for integrated management of sensitive natural areas, as well as for education delivered to tourists and local communities about the value that the environment has for human health and welfare.

“We are so pleased to welcome the highly respected global Blue Flag programme into the CitiesWithNature initiative, demonstrating our shared commitment to work with subnational and local governments in coastal cities to ensure that we live, act and plan with nature. This partnership provides a unique opportunity for urban communities and their governments to rise to the challenge and take ownership of our precious shores, committing to renewed action as part of this important Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
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— Kobie Brand, Deputy Director General of ICLEI

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Make sure to check out the CitiesWithNature website, and get inspired with hundreds of examples of cities who decided to join the transition to a green and sustainable future!