Blue economy, a key for sustainable development, jobs creation and investments in Mediterranean
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Stakeholder Conference on Blue Economy, an international event devoted to job creation and investment potential of blue economy in the Mediterranean basin (Naples, on November 29 & 30, 2017) gathered...
Stakeholders discussed in 12 workshops about innovative financing of maritime investment, ocean energy, integrated approach to coastal community development, maritime governance, MPAs (Marine Protected Areas), tackling marine litter, state of play of MSP (Maritime Spatial Planning) and existing gaps, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine research and innovation (BLUEMED Initiative), sustainable tourism, blue entrepreneurship, youth employability and maritime skills, maritime safety, and marine knowledge.
In parallel with the workshops, 125 business to business meetings with 80 participants from 12 different countries have been organised in cooperation with the Europe Enterprise network.
A high-level panel with Commissioner Karmenu Vella, Minister Ana Paula Vitorino (Portugal), Minister Justyne Caruana (Malta), Deputy-Minister Lufthi El Magrhbi (Libya), UfM Secretary General Fatallah Sijilmassi and the Secretary General for Fisheries of Spain, Mr Alberto Lopez-Asenjo, was also held during the conference. The session concluded with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Mr Fathallah Sijilmassi and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean of FAO Executive Secretary Mr Abdellah Srour.
Media coverage was very high, mainly with the participation of media from Italy, France, Egypt and Morocco.
See more on the programme, the speakers and photos from the conference:
1st UNION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN REGIONAL STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE ON THE BLUE ECONOMY
29 November 2017
08:00 – 09:15
Registration
Plenary session Room Partenope – Working languages: IT EN FR AR
09:15 – 10:00
Opening remarks
Mr Bernhard Friess, Director for Maritime Policy and Blue Economy, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Mr Mohammed Salman, Director of Technical affairs &Maritime Safety, Jordan Maritime Commission
Mr Miguel Garcia-Herraiz, Deputy Secretary General for Enviroment and Water of the UfM Secretariat
Mr. George Alexakis, Vice-President of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions in charge for Maritime affairs, Vice-Governor of Crete
Moderator: Mr Spyros Kouvelis
10:00 – 11:00
Presentation of the Blue open calls for proposals and the Enterprise Europe Network
Mr Christos Economou, Head of Unit for Sea Basin Strategies, Maritime Regional Cooperation and Maritime Security, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Ms Charlotte Jagot, European Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises (EASME)
Ms Maria Cristina Raffone, Coordinator of Enterprise Europe Network – BRIDGeconomies
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00
Workshops
Workshop 1: The future of the Mediterranean blue economy Room Partenope – IT EN FR AR The workshop focused on three axes: i) the organization of efficient services so as to offer competitive advantages to the port community, with respect to commercial traffic and passenger traffic; ii) the relationship between port, city and territory, for a close interrelationship between maritime economy and the overall economic and social system; iii) the attraction of investments, and the opportunities arising from special economic zones; on the latter, selected case studeis will be presented.Speakers:
Serena Angioli, Assessore Fondi Europei, Gioventù, Cooperazione europea e Bacino Mediterraneo, Regione Campania, Vicepresidenza Commissione Intermediterranea della CRPM
Carlos Botana Lagarón, Port of Vigo, Spain;
Massimo De Andreis, SRM Intesa San Paolo Group, Italy;
Giovanni Sgambati, General Secretary UIL Campania, Italy;
Apostolos Sigouras, ECOMASYN, Greece;
Pietro Spirito, Central Tirrenean Sea Authority System, Italy.
Workshop 2: Integrated approach to the development of coastal communities in the Mediterranean region: tools and best practices. Room Posillipo A – IT EN FR The multidimensional nature of the factors affecting the development of the communities living in coastal areas suggests an integrated and holistic approach based on enhancing the potentiality and features of each coastal community, the establishing of strong synergies between all sectors, and the balancing of the environmental safeguarding needs with those of social and economic exploitation. In this regard, tools and selected case studies will be presented to, and discuss with, the audience as pieces of a jigsaw puzzles to be put together according to the socio-economic characteristics and potential of the given contexts.
Speakers:
Rigers Bakiu, Agricultural University of Tirana-Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Albania;
Antonio Errico, Magna Grecia Mare Association, Port Museum of Tricase, Italy;
Houssam Hamza, Ministry of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Tunisia;
Imad Lahoud, Ministry of Agriculture Dept. Fisheries, Lebanon;
Giovanni Tumbiolo, Fishery and Blue Growth District, Sicilian Region, Italy;
Massimo Zuccaro, The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Italy.
Workshop 3: Addressing marine litter in the Mediterranean using an ecosystem-based approach: focus on governance within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and beyond Room Partenope – IT EN FR AR The workshop is expected to open an effective and inclusive debate related to scientific evidence of pressures and impacts of marine litter on biodiversity and integrated protocols to reduce the pressures of pollution (with a focus on marine litter) in the Mediterranean basin. Representatives from formal and unformal platforms are expected to contribute to building an understanding on effective measures to reduce pressures of marine litter on the Mediterranean Sea.Speakers:
Dania Abdul Malak, European Topic Center, University of Malaga, Spain;
Emad Adly, Arab Network for Environment and Development, Egypt;
Salud Deudero, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Spain;
Cristina Fossi, Plastic Busters, University of Siena, Italy;
Malek Ghandour, Amwaj of Environment Association, Lebanon;
Eleni Hatzyianni, Environment and Spatial Planning, Region of Crete, CPMR Intermediterranean Commission;
Omar Khaber, Coastal Wastes Agency, Algeria;
Jamila Ben Souissi, Université de Carthage, Tunisia;
Julien Le Tellier, UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan Coordinating Unit, Greece;
Maurizio Simeone, Regione Campania, Italy.
Workshop 4: Energy from the Mediterranean Sea – innovative financial schemes and technological advancements Room Posillipo A – IT EN FR The workshop will reflect on innovative financing schemes able to support blue growth in the Mediterranean Sea, in particular when it comes to marine energies, a sector which needs considerable investments. Afterwards, it will be discussed how desalination with membrane systems can combine the production of fresh water with energy production together with the recovery of valuable minerals from concentrated brines. A case study on a floating desalination platform will be presented.
Workshop 5: Promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean Room Posillipo A – IT EN FR The workshop will be an opportunity to present and discuss the essence of the GFCM regional and multiannual mid-term strategy, a key contribution to the sustainability of Mediterranean fisheries and aquaculture in the context of blue growth. Selected case studies on participatory governance and co-management of fisheries, as well as on the role of artisanal fishing in the sustainable management of fishery resources will be also presented.Speakers:
Bourhim Aomar, Ministère de l’Agriculture, de la Pêche Maritime, du Développement Rural et des Eaux et Forêts, Morocco ;
Miguel Bernal, General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean Secretariat, Italy;
Mark Dimech, FAO EastMed Regional Project, Italy;
Nicola Ferri, General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, Italy;
Mr Idhalla Mohamed, chercheur, chef de département de l’aquaculture, Morocco
José Ignacio Pradas Poveda, Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentación, y Medio Ambiente, Spain.
Workshop 6: Maritime Spatial Planning/Integrated Coastal Zone Management (MSP/ICZM) in the Mediterranean Sea: implementation status, main gaps and specificities Room Partenope IT EN FR The workshop will assess the status of the implementation of MSP and ICZM in the Mediterranean region by reflecting on current gaps, existing best practices, and Mediterranean specificities such as marine geo-hazard that jeopardize economic activities and civil infrastructures. The application of the ecosystem-based approach in MSP / ICZM will be addressed and key recommendations for its implementation will be provided. Update on on-going projects (e.g.S UPREME and SIMWESTMED) will be given.
Speakers:
Niccolò Bassan, Università Iuav di Venezia, Italy
Bechir Bejoui, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies, Tunisia;
Francesco Chiocci, Università La Sapienza, Italy;
Samir Grimes, Laboratory of Conservation and Valorization of Marine Resources, National High School of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management, Algeria;
Francesco Musco – Corila / Università Iuav di Venezia, Italy
Mauro Randone, WWF Mediterranean, Italy
Michelangelo Russo – Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy.
Dimitris Sakellariou, Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
Plenary session Room Partenope – Working languages: IT EN FR AR
09:00 -10:45
High level panel Speakers:
Mr. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner in charge of Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs for the European Union
Mr. Fatallah Sijilmassi, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean
Mrs Ana Paula Vitorino, Minister of the Sea (Portugal)
Mrs Justyne Caruana, Minister for Gozo, Malta
Mr Vincenzo De Luca, President of the Region Campania
Mr. Alberto Lopez-Asenjo, Deputy Minister-Secretary General for Fisheries, Spain
Mrs Zakia Driouich Secretary General of the Department of Marine Fisheries, Morocco
Mr Enrico Granara, Plenipotentiary Minister. UfM Senior Official and Ministerial Coordinator of the Euro-Mediterranean Multilateral Initiatives, Italy
Mr. Abdelkader Bouazgui, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Algeria (tbc)
Moderator: Mr Spyros Kouvelis
This panel will be closed with the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean of the FAO
10:45 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00
Workshop 7: Sustainability and attractiveness of Mediterranean tourism: best practices and innovation projects in the Euro-Mediterranean coastal countries Room Posillipo A – IT EN FR AR The promotion of sustainable tourism is a global economic, social and environmental objective. At regional level, the identities and values of the Euro-Mediterranean cultural diversity represent a development engine. The workshop will address how to tap the potential of coastal and underwater tourism in the Mediterranean region, including cultural tourism, by strengthening cooperation mechanisms and capitalise on existing best practices and tools.Speakers:
Bechir Bejoiu, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies, Tunisia;
Maurizio di Stefano, ICOMOS, Italy;
Konstantinos C. Giotopoulos, Chamber of Achaia, Greece;
Samiha Khellifa Bedioufi, Universty of Sousse, Tunisia;
Ioannis Kostopoulos, SaMMY, Greece;
Davide Strangis, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, Spain;
Hotaf Yassien, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Jordan;
Milena Zoppeddu, Secretariat Permanent de l’Arc Llatí, Spain.
Workshop 8: BLUEMED – Building a shared research and innovation agenda for blue jobs and growth across the Mediterranean Room Partenope – IT EN FR The aim of the workshop is to promote the involvement of non-EU countries in the BLUEMED Initiative. After a presentation of the BLUEMED’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and of the experiences of the Italian Blue Growth Technology Cluster and the Regional Cluster for the Blue Economy of Campania, a panel will follow to give the opportunity to experts from several non-EU countries to talk about their strategy/policy/priorities on marine and maritime research and innovation, and to seek for alignment of themes and priorities. Finally, stakeholders from non-EU countries will be invited to get involved in the BLUEMED initiative towards the elaboration of a common SRIA and the joint implementation of its actions.
Luca Marangoni, Unit for Sea Basin Strategies, Maritime Regional Cooperation and Maritime Security, Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and. Fisheries, European Commission
Marta Iglesias, Unit for Marine Resources, Directorate General Research & Innovation, European Commission
Fabio Fava (chair of the BLUEMED Initiative strategic board)
Valeria Fascione, Regional Minister for Internationalisation, Start up and Innovation, Region of Campania
Lucio Sabbadini, President Technological Cluster BIG
Mohamed Salah Azaza, In charge of International Cooperation, INSTM (Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer) – Tunisia
Baris Salihoglu, Director of Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University – Turkey
Alaa Eldin El-Haweet – Dean of College of Fisheries Technology and Aquaculture, Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime transport – Egypt
Manal Nader – Director, Institute of the Environment, University of Balamand – Lebanon
Workshop 9: Blue Entrepreneurship World Café Room Posillipo B – IT EN FR Shifting current consumption and production patterns of economic development to more sustainable ones raises enormous challenges. Yet, these challenges often represent an opportunity for entrepreneurs and start-ups to build and scale sustainable businesses that not only help overcome the challenge, but can also lead to more fair and sustainable growth. At the Blue Entrepreneurship World Café / Entrepreneurship Lab for a Blue Economy, you will connect in depth and exchange around specific questions to identify compelling challenges and define how entrepreneurship support programmes and organizations (such as SwitchMed – UN Environment/MAP SCP/RAC, Egypreneur and UACTI) can best sustain blue entrepreneurs and start-ups in addressing these challenges.
Speakers:
Nouran El Said Agrimatic, Egypt;
Salah El Sadi, UACTI Palestine;
Mostafa Hassanen, Agrimatic, Egypt;
Daniel Hires, SCP/RAC, Spain;
Abdelrahman Magdy, Egypreneur, Egypt;
Shimrit Perkol-Finkel, Econcrete, Israel;
Alessandra Pome, SCP/RAC, Spain.
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch (buffet)
14:30 – 16:00
Workshop 10: Maritime safety and anti-pollution contingency planning Room Posillipo B – IT EN FR AR Focusing on cooperation and interoperability among the Coast Guards organizations of the Mediterranean sea, the workshop aims to enhancing the importance of planning, data sharing and operational surveillance to protect marine environment against pollution, a cross-sectorial obstacle in the wider field of the Marine safety. The importance of an effective and efficient communication system between all involved actors, which embraces different technology platforms and take advantage of standardized procedures, is the baseline to improve the control of the marine traffic and the use of the sea for all public scopes.Moderator: Ltc Alberto Adamo, Coast Guard, ItalySpeakers
Adm. Patrick Augier, Deputy Secretary General for the Sea, France;
LtC Fabio Borriello, Coast Guard, Italy;
Prof. Giovanni Caprino Cetena S.p.A
Armando Graziano, European Maritime Safety Agency;
Youssef Ben Romdhane, Director General, Ministry of transport, Tunisia
Ing. Mohammad SALMAN, Jordan Maritime Commission, Director of Technical affairs & Maritime Safety Directorate.
Workshop 11: Blue mission in the Mediterranean region: promoting youth employability throughout developing skills and building capacities in the marine and maritime sectors. Room Posillipo A – IT EN FR The workshop will try to answer to the following questions: How to attract talents and focus on competence and skills development to make a younger generation fit for new emerging blue jobs/profiles? ii) How to jointly create pilot activities to strengthen common partnerships to address youth unemployment as well as train new researchers and new entrepreneurs to develop new skills and competencies needed for blue growth? iii) How to connect and network the diaspora of researchers from Southern Mediterranean countries as a potential for enhancing cooperation and foster knowledge transfer?
Speakers:
Niccolò Bassan, University IUAV-Venezia, Italy;
Mounir Ghribi, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale -Sustainable – Blue Growth Initiative, Italy;
Jerneja Penca, Euro-Mediterranean University EMUNI, Slovenia
Walid Kamali, Almanar University of Tripoli
Mr. Georgios Triantafillidis, MarInEM , Greece;
Ahmed Youssef, Professor at the Arab Academy of Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt.
Workshop 12: Moving towards blue economy in the Mediterranean region: what works, what is missing and what needs to be done? Room Partenope – IT EN FR The UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP)-Barcelona Convention system develops policies and implements projects that contribute to a more sustainable development of the region, including the promotion of a shift to towards a blue economy paradigm. The workshop will inform on the legal frames and other instruments contributing to blue economy: Barcelona Convention, its Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management, the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development 2016-2025 and the Regional Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production. This will be followed by a discussion on how to move towards blue economy including improvement of governance for a blue economy; the wider use of economic instruments; technological and social innovation; investments and financing; and development and use of statistics and indicators (by Plan Bleu/RAC, PAP/RAC and SCP/RAC). The latter will be illustrated by opportunities and resources available to acquire data, information and services for the marine environment provided by COPERNICUS CMEMS services (contributed by Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale – OGS) and by the need for mapping the sea bottom for a more efficient blue economy (Istituto Idrografico della Marina).
Speakers:
Emad Adly, Arab Network for Environment and Development, Egypt;
Julien Le Tellier, UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan Coordinating Unit, Greece;
Jean Pierre Giraud, Plan Bleu/RAC, France ;
Marco Grassi, Istituto Idrografico della Marina, Italy;
Marija Mijuskovic, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism Government of Montenegro, Montenegro
Alessandra Pome, SCP/RAC, Spain ;
Marko Prem, PAP/RAC, Croatia;
Luigi Sinapi, Istituto Idrografico della Marina, Italy;
Cosimo Solidoro, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale, Italy.
Enrique de Villamore, SCP/RAC Director
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee break
16:30 – 17:15
Closing remarks:
Mr Miguel Garcia-Herraiz, Deputy Secretary General for Enviroment and Water of the UfM Secretariat
Mr Christos Economou, Head of Unit for Sea Basin Startegies, Maritime Regional Cooperation and Maritime Security, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
