Chapter 9
Tackling Single-Use-Plastic Products
in the Easter Mediterranean Sea:
The BL.EU. Climate and MEDfreeSUP
Projects
Phoebe Koundouri, Lydia Papadaki, Alice Guittard, Elias Demian,
and Ebun Akinsete
Abstract The Mediterranean Sea is a top tourism destination in the world hosting
more than 320 million tourists a year, but it’s also one of the most affected areas by
marine litter worldwide, polluting its shores and pristine coastal waters. Marine litter
is estimated to cause an annual economic loss of €61.7 million to the EU fishing fleet
because of reduced catch and damage to vessels, while polluted beaches can
discourage tourists with consequent job losses in the sector. In this chapter (This
work has received funding from the European Union’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology under grant agreement N
190880 and N
200805), two
projects funded by EIT Climate-KIC (2020) are being presented. The BL.EU.
P. Koundouri (*)
School of Economics and ReSEES Laboratory, Athens University of Economics and Business,
Athens, Greece
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Europe, Paris, France
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
e-mail: pkoundouri@aueb.gr
L. Papadaki
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Greece, Athens, Greece
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
A. Guittard
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
E. Demian
Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), Athens, Greece
E. Akinsete
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Athens, Greece
EIT Climate–KIC Hub, Athens, Greece
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. Koundouri (ed.), The Ocean of Tomorrow, Environment & Policy 57,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56847-4_9
135
Tackling Single-Use-Plastic Products
in the Easter Mediterranean Sea:
The BL.EU. Climate and MEDfreeSUP
Projects
Phoebe Koundouri, Lydia Papadaki, Alice Guittard, Elias Demian,
and Ebun Akinsete
Abstract The Mediterranean Sea is a top tourism destination in the world hosting
more than 320 million tourists a year, but it’s also one of the most affected areas by
marine litter worldwide, polluting its shores and pristine coastal waters. Marine litter
is estimated to cause an annual economic loss of €61.7 million to the EU fishing fleet
because of reduced catch and damage to vessels, while polluted beaches can
discourage tourists with consequent job losses in the sector. In this chapter (This
work has received funding from the European Union’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology under grant agreement N
190880 and N
200805), two
projects funded by EIT Climate-KIC (2020) are being presented. The BL.EU.
P. Koundouri (*)
School of Economics and ReSEES Laboratory, Athens University of Economics and Business,
Athens, Greece
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Europe, Paris, France
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
e-mail: pkoundouri@aueb.gr
L. Papadaki
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Greece, Athens, Greece
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
A. Guittard
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
E. Demian
Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), Athens, Greece
E. Akinsete
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Athens, Greece
EIT Climate–KIC Hub, Athens, Greece
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. Koundouri (ed.), The Ocean of Tomorrow, Environment & Policy 57,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56847-4_9
135