Shaping an Holistic Approach to Protect the Adriatic Environment: between coast and sea

SHAPE is a comprehensive project for the Adriatic Region aiming to create the basis for the protection and sustainable development of the coastal-marine environment. The strategic objective is the development of a multilevel and cross-sector governance system, based on an holistic approach and aiming to the integrated management of the natural resources, risk’s prevention and the resolution of the conflicts among uses and users. Coast and sea are strategic for the well-being and prosperity of the Adriatic Countries: a big value, both economic and ecological, as trade routes, climatic regulators, food and energy source, sites for residence and recreation. On the other hand, coastal and marine areas are subject to growing pressures, as human activities (fishing, aquaculture, shipping and marinas, energy, harbours facilities, tourism) tend to develop together coming into conflict with each other and with protection needs of habitats and landscapes. Also global challenges as climate change strongly affect coastal areas and sea, with effects often going beyond national or regional boundaries. The partners involved recognize the Adriatic Sea as a single water body (same approach is also envisaged in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive) because of its sensitivities and simultaneously growing pressures from human activities. To face local and global threats in a comprehensive way, to embrace several issues on a marine basin scale, to coordinate individual actions towards joint objectives, to create synergies and strengthen the cooperation, Shape project is proposed involving 6 Adriatic Countries in a 3 years period. In line with EU horizontal/vertical policies and in the frame of programme’s strategy, the project will promote the strengthening of the institutional capacity to preserve and manage natural and cultural resources and risks’ prevention, assuring the rational use of the Adriatic Sea and its resources and enabling to solve conflicts among different uses.The focus is on Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Maritime Spatial Planning. Project activities will promote the application and successful implementation of the ICZM Protocol in the Mediterranean and the Roadmap for MSP in the Adriatic region. The project is built on a various and sound partnership, involving 13 partners from 6 countries of the IPA Adriatic cooperation area (Italy, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro) in order to develop an overall view and implement multilevel activities to embed the totality of the Adriatic basin. Project’s activities will lead to ensure a concrete coordination among institutions and authorities responsible for coastal and sea management upgrading existing governance structures for better integration and cooperation, to enhance the stakeholders involvement and to strengthen the links among actors and key institutions, to improve the public participation process in the project’s issues and to increase the public awareness through open workshops and an effective communication plan.Finally, SHAPE will help partners in sharing data and experience as a common base of knowledge allowing the coherent and conscious governance of the coastal and marine environment and will lead to the creation of innovative and common tools supporting ICZM and MSP.Main outputs will be: Outline on ICZM in the Adriatic Region, Scientific Reports, Thematic maps, Common Methodology on planning in maritime space, Analytical Reports on legal aspects, current policy&planning tools in the Adriatic Basin, a Common Gis Atlas of Adriatic Sea, Training workshops, Transnational conferences.SHAPE will also promote the strengthening of synergies and the exchange of results from various projects among a wide network of institutions, through the creation of the Adriatic Forum and the coordination with existingorganisations, as the Adriatic Euroregion, other Regions in Europe and European and International institutions.