The sea economy is a sector that Ecomondo (5-8 November, Rimini Expo Centre, organized by Italian Exhibition Group), has showcased for years: A sector with great potential, a “reservoir” which, if exploited and safeguarded, it not only beneficial for the climate – seas are great assimilators of CO2 – but from which it is also possible to obtain energy and create jobs. The blue economy of the European Union is continually growing, currently has a value of 0.5 trillion euros and provides 5 million jobs.
This year, Ecomondo is dedicating several events to the blue economy. On Thursday 6th November (10:00 am) the beacon event was Structuring Italian Blue Growth: BLUEMED meets BIG a conference that focused on the Mediterranean Sea and will propose the vision, mission and state of the art of the initiatives under way in the area, along with the main challenges awaiting the marine economy in that zone. Research and innovation are fundamental for the development of all sectors, whether established or emerging, and to ensure their social-economic and environmental sustainability interventions and programs must be integrated, but above all the strategic vision that the event wants to transmit must be strengthened.
The focus was again on the Mediterranean at the event on the 7th November Plastic-free for a healthy Mediterranean Sea: the BLUEMED R&I Pilot, which reported on the initiative by the countries of the Mediterranean Bluemed R&I, launched in 2018 with the intent of facing the threat of marine litter together.
Circular Economy for the definition of a sustainable and integrated Blue Growth Strategy was the beacon event scheduled for the entire day on Thursday 7th November (from 10:00 am). Participants included plenipotentiary minister Enrico Granara. The objective was to stimulate the development of the circularity of the Blue economy in the Mediterranean, basin by means of cooperation.
Marine litter and blue economy, impacts and solutions from the world of fishing and aquaculture on Friday 8th November (10:00 am) is once again the appointment on the issue of marine litter organized by Ecomondo and Legambiente. There will be a particular accent on the topic of litter coming from fishing and aquaculture activities: lost or abandoned nets and equipment account for approximately a third of the plastic litter found on European beaches and an even greater proportion as far as their weight is concerned, reaching up to 11,000 tons per year.
We are Med: challenge for a sustainable Mediterranean on 8th November will end the cycle of beacon events dedicated to “mare nostrum”, to illustrate the program of transnational cooperation INTERREG MED 2014-2020 which involves the public national and regional institutions of 12 countries, from Portugal to Cyprus, examining the need to strengthen the governance instruments in strategic fields for the Mediterranean (tourism, marine surveillance, environment and innovation). Space will also be dedicated to the projects that share a process aimed at communicating the results achieved and boosting the capitalization of these results.
Sustainable management of sediments and blue growth in coastal area and in the medium and small ports was another beacon event, held on 5th November, and of importance to the sector, which will highlight the current situation in the management and use of the various resources of the sea for the adaptation of the coasts, rivers and ports for sustainable safe Blue Growth in line with the work of the National Board on Coastal Erosion, looking to set up a coast observatory.
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