and improved collaboration between land- and sea-based operators; reducing externalities from land-based on sea-based activities by improving economic collaboration and integrated governance; and creating durable relationships between coastal
areas, serving as flagships for coastal-rural synergy.
1.5.2 The Marine Plastic Litter Challenge
The Mediterranean Sea is a top tourism destination in the world hosting nearly
314 million international tourists a year, with European Mediterranean countries
attracting most of the tourists, but it is also one of the most affected areas by marine
litter worldwide, polluting its shores and pristine coastal waters (UNEPMAP 2020).
The plastic litter problem in seas and oceans has several environmental impacts
associated. Besides the direct effect on the marine environment, marine littering is
often related to socio-economic characteristics degradation (e.g. the food chain
unsettling, public health threatening, loss of jobs and property devaluation).
EIT Climate-KIC is a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), working to
accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Supported by the European
Institute of Innovation and Technology, EIT Climate-KIC identifies and supports
innovation that helps society mitigate and adapt to climate change. They bring
together partners in the worlds of business, academia and the public and non-profit
sectors to create networks of expertise, through which innovative products, services
and systems can be developed, brought to market and scaled up for impact. Through
their convening power, EIT Climate-KIC brings together the most effective groups
to create the innovation that can lead to systemic change (EIT Climate-KIC 2020a).
WEF (2016) reports that the circular economy is gaining growing attention as a
potential way for our society to increase prosperity while reducing demands on finite
raw materials and minimizing negative externalities. Such a transition requires a
systemic approach, which entails moving beyond incremental improvements to the
existing model as well as developing new collaboration mechanisms. BL.EU Climate (Climate Innovation in Southern Waters) funded by EIT Climate-KIC BL.EU
seeks to 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 plastic waste reduction with significant climate
change mitigation potential from the reduction in the collected and handled plastic
waste. Greece, Portugal and Croatia gathered around this problem and identified
three pillars around ports (commerce, fishing, tourism) working closely with local
problem owners: in Croatia, islands of Cres and Zlarin; in Greece, the port of Piraeus
and islands of Milos and Andros; and in Portugal, the port of Lisbon (BL.EU.
Climate 2020).
The project enhances plastic litter reduction through a systems innovation
approach, where stakeholders are involved through participatory workshops in
solutions identification. Stakeholder mapping, validation interviews and surveys
were performed targeting tourists and fishermen only. The results of the
1 Introduction to the Oceans of Tomorrow: The Transition to Sustainability
17
areas, serving as flagships for coastal-rural synergy.
1.5.2 The Marine Plastic Litter Challenge
The Mediterranean Sea is a top tourism destination in the world hosting nearly
314 million international tourists a year, with European Mediterranean countries
attracting most of the tourists, but it is also one of the most affected areas by marine
litter worldwide, polluting its shores and pristine coastal waters (UNEPMAP 2020).
The plastic litter problem in seas and oceans has several environmental impacts
associated. Besides the direct effect on the marine environment, marine littering is
often related to socio-economic characteristics degradation (e.g. the food chain
unsettling, public health threatening, loss of jobs and property devaluation).
EIT Climate-KIC is a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), working to
accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Supported by the European
Institute of Innovation and Technology, EIT Climate-KIC identifies and supports
innovation that helps society mitigate and adapt to climate change. They bring
together partners in the worlds of business, academia and the public and non-profit
sectors to create networks of expertise, through which innovative products, services
and systems can be developed, brought to market and scaled up for impact. Through
their convening power, EIT Climate-KIC brings together the most effective groups
to create the innovation that can lead to systemic change (EIT Climate-KIC 2020a).
WEF (2016) reports that the circular economy is gaining growing attention as a
potential way for our society to increase prosperity while reducing demands on finite
raw materials and minimizing negative externalities. Such a transition requires a
systemic approach, which entails moving beyond incremental improvements to the
existing model as well as developing new collaboration mechanisms. BL.EU Climate (Climate Innovation in Southern Waters) funded by EIT Climate-KIC BL.EU
seeks to 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 plastic waste reduction with significant climate
change mitigation potential from the reduction in the collected and handled plastic
waste. Greece, Portugal and Croatia gathered around this problem and identified
three pillars around ports (commerce, fishing, tourism) working closely with local
problem owners: in Croatia, islands of Cres and Zlarin; in Greece, the port of Piraeus
and islands of Milos and Andros; and in Portugal, the port of Lisbon (BL.EU.
Climate 2020).
The project enhances plastic litter reduction through a systems innovation
approach, where stakeholders are involved through participatory workshops in
solutions identification. Stakeholder mapping, validation interviews and surveys
were performed targeting tourists and fishermen only. The results of the
1 Introduction to the Oceans of Tomorrow: The Transition to Sustainability
17