Final Conference on Transboundary Horizons: Boosting Coastal Sustainability in the South Adriatic

The project will end with the CAMP Otranto Final Conference at the Maritim Hotel Plaza in Tirana on 13 December 2023. People not able to attend in person can join via Zoom from 9 am – 1 pm.

The event will be the culmination of the project’s findings and a chance to share best practice. Proceedings will be opened by Tatjana Hema from UNEP/MAP and Sofjan Jaupaj the Director General for Economic Affairs and Support Services at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Albania.

“The first Transboundary CAMP Project in Albania and Italy has been fruitful; by working together we’ve seen the difference it makes to our environment. The joint professional knowledge exchange will help us renew our commitment to marine protected areas,” explained Sofjan Jaupaj.

The driving force behind the Transboundary CAMP Otranto project has been to value and preserve the local economy and the environment through sustainable management and planning in the ecologically significant space of the Otranto Strait. Testing and providing insight and guidance to create an integrated approach to tackling environmental challenges and securing a sustainable future for the regions of Vlora (Albania) and Puglia (Italy) has been at the centre of all project activity.

“During our pilot transboundary CAMP project, we’ve faced various challenges that have proved to be valuable learning experiences. It’s a journey we’ve undertaken with national and regional stakeholders, institutions, and local people. The final conference will be an opportunity to celebrate the progress we’ve made and to share the valuable insights we’ve gathered during the key project developments. It’s crucial we continue to build on these achievements and lessons, so we can set a course towards a more sustainable future where coastal development is truly collaborative from beginning to end,” said Željka Škaričić, PAP/RAC Director.

The first session of discussions will be on using the Feasibility Study to identify and establish an ABMT in the Strait of Otranto led by project experts Martina Bocci, Fabio Carella, Micol Roversi Monaco and Tullio Scovazzi. Followed by Matteo Braida and Daniele Paesani with advice on ICZM attaining ‘Good Environmental Status’ (GES) and how to navigate ICZM Methodological guidance, the session will conclude with Fiona Mali sharing perspectives on the future of Marine Spatial Planning in Albania. During the second session project experts will dive into the topics of marine litter data collection with Iris Pojani, and top tips on the ICZM SAS Labels in the regions from Elisa Ulazzi, Ares Filto and Francesca Marcucci.

Oliviero Montanaro the Director General at the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of Italy called for an ongoing integrated vision for the environmental protection of the sea and coasts. “It is an inseparable and reciprocal system of interactions, especially in the Mediterranean where the distance between coasts and therefore between different countries is so limited,” he said. “It is thanks to those who have contributed to the first transboundary CAMP that we now have an important set of results that can be carried forward in the implementation of other CAMP projects. Together we can achieve an effective and comprehensive integrated management of the coastal area throughout the Mediterranean.”

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to see the project videos, infographics and communications materials which highlight the project tools Zone Management. The project’s photo exhibition Many Shores, One Sea by Natalino Russo will also be on display.

For more information contact Ms Tea Marasovic, Programme Officer at PAP/RAC at tea.marasovic@paprac.org or download the agenda.

About CAMP Otranto

The Coastal Area Management Programme (CAMP) in Otranto Strait seeks to reinforce sustainable development, Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) across the South Adriatic to eliminate marine litter, prevent pollution on coast and sea and to strengthen biodiversity conservation in the project regions of Vlora (Albania) and Puglia (Italy). The project is coordinated by PAP/RAC with the support of INFO/RAC and national project coordinators. Implementation is overseen by the CAMP Otranto Steering Committee, with the particular involvement of the Albanian Ministry of Tourism and Environment (AMTE), and the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (IMEES) along with Vlora region (AL) and Puglia region (IT).

Additional Resources: Project brochure, hero image and videos are available on the project resources webpage.