Climate Innovation in Southern European Waters – BL.EU CLIMATE
Fossil fuel industry and the one connected to it, plastic industry, are the largest contributors to carbon emissions. Among marine liter, the plastic waste represents over 90% while it also deteriorates the socio-economic life (public health via food chain, increase of health costs etc).
This project will address the challenge of plastic marine littering in southern European waters by building capacity for innovation to address the issue at the very beginning of its life cycle, on the prevention side and on avoiding production of plastic materials (and plastic waste) thus avoiding carbon emissions at the first place. Greece, Portugal and Croatia gathered around this problem and identified three pillars around ports (commerce, fishing, tourism) and will work closely with local problem owners: in Croatia, island Cres and island Zlarin; in Greece, the port of Piraeus and in Portugal, the port of Lisbon.
The partners in Portugal are: Administração do Porto de Lisboa (APL) APL, the governing authority of the Port of Lisbon who represents the problem owner in the national context and who will support the dissemination and stakeholder engagement in this project. And Associação Portuguesa de Lixo Marinho (APLM) APLM who is the Portuguese marine litter association and will be contributing to this project with know-how and resources as well as support facilitating workshops with local stakeholders.
In Croatian partner is, Terra Hub Terra Hub, an NGO already actively working on preventing plastic pollution of the seas in the area of citizen engagement, stakeholders facilitation and social innovations, specifically with challenge-owners on the island of Cres and the island of Zlarin. As Climate-KIC Hub coordinator in Croatia, Terra Hub will do relevant coordination of actors in this project in Croatia as well.
The Greek partner is EIT Climate-KIC1 Greek Hub directed by Prof. Phoebe Koundouri, (School of Economics and ReSEES Laboratory, Athens University of Economics and Business) at the ATHENA Research and Innovation, by Prof. Phoebe Koundouri (School of Economics, Athens University of Economics and Business) and ENALIA ΑΜΚΕ, an active start-up that engages and disseminates knowledge in local fishermen.
The project team will develop in each country a stakeholder mapping and engagement strategy of the entities around the pillars of the local challenge, will survey in depth the respective plastic problems identifying gaps on knowledge and mitigation. Will have direct impact by developing solution ideas involving research, education, businesses, startups and public bodies through participatory processes. During its final phase will be prepared a change roadmap for plastic free southern European waters in the next 10 years.
This project is part of a much bigger UN SDSN Project that I direct which is called the 4-Seas-Project on Sustainable Blue Growth Transformation in the MED, BLACK, CASPIAN and ARAL Seas. Further Information on this to be sent.