Mid-Term Conference highlights the need to strengthen transboundary collaboration

Transboundary Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) were at the forefront of the CAMP Otranto Mid-Term Conference and training course hosted by Italian partners on 11 May 2023

At the historic Palazzo Granafei-Nervegna in Brindisi, key stakeholders from Italy and Albania had the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in the framework of the CAMP Otranto project and to discuss the potential transboundary implementation of ICZM and MSP in the South Adriatic, as well as other subregional and international initiatives in the area.  

In her opening speech, Anna Grazia Maraschio, Councillor for the Environment of the Puglia Region, emphasized the need to involve other regions in Italy to achieve the ultimate goal of preserving our ecosystems and protecting the environment. Ms Grazia said: “To address this challenge, the Puglia region has recently established a Regional Waste Observatory as a fundamental tool for monitoring and modernizing environmental policies on waste issues.”

Tackling the issue of plastic waste, Albania banned the use of plastic bags in 2022. Sofjan Jaupaj, from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania, explained: “Albania wants to see the tourism sector develop without damaging the environment, and to increase the number of coastal protected areas to help achieve greater balance.”

The importance of coastal governance which requires basic knowledge of coastline features, and the need to improve the management of regional waters was underlined by Rear Admiral Vincenzo Leone, Maritime Director of Puglia and Ionian Basilicata. 

The CAMP Otranto project is a pioneering experience of two countries and two regions sharing the same territories explained Željka Škaričić, director of PAP/RAC. She said: “We can reach Good Environmental Status only if we collaborate successfully.” This was echoed by Oliviero Montanaro, representing the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of Italy, who stated: “This small project is a seed which will continue to grow and promote a multi-country approach.”

During the conference participants were guided through the overall project implementation by experts who presented the crucial pressures and environmental impacts in the Otranto Strait, the methodology used, and the modes of its application to support the ICZM Protocol. Special attention was given to the progress and challenges of ICZM and MSP in Albania, with the latter further elaborated during the afternoon training course.

During the opening panel on Transboundary cooperation on ICZM/MSP, Oliviero Montanaro said: “We need to consider the regional, national, and global dimensions of Marine Spatial Planning. MSP is a tool that defines the interaction between human beings and their environment, which is under a process of ongoing development.”

Adelina Greca, General Director of National Agency of Territorial Planning in Albania, further added: “We are connected by the sea and not divided by it. MSP is a good tool to demonstrate that. We are looking forward to future collaboration and the opportunity to learn from Italian experiences.”

The urgent need to translate words into actions was communicated by Caterina Dibitonto, Director of the Department for Strategic Planning Service Environment, Territory and Industry in the Puglia Region, in her concluding statement. She said: “It is difficult to plan when there are different plans on a regulatory level. We should make a joint effort and understand people’s needs. To create an integrated strategy, we must strive to identify the problems and develop the tools to solve them.”

Francesco de Franco, Head of cooperation programmes at the Torre Guaceto MPA (Italy), pointed out that there is a severe problem regarding conservation measures, and advised: “We need to think about the effectiveness of conservation measures because having an international or protected area without proper governance is useless. Being transparent about the difficulties is key. We can always manage to find a solution.”

The next project event will be an awareness workshop on cross-country coastal and marine management cooperation, and a training course on “fishing for litter” on 31 May 2023 in Otranto, Italy.

For more information contact Daniela Addis, National Project Coordinator (Italy) by emailing daniela.addis@camp-otranto.com