PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Scope - The pilot project [centred on a coastal area of the Apulia Region in Southern Italy] intends to support local government bodies, as well as business firms and civic associations, in the management and valorisation of the territory through the activation of a local Agenda 21 process (focused on the problems involved in managing coastal areas affected by heavy tourist flows). Hypothesis - The method chosen is an "environmental negotiation table" based on the creation of reciprocal trust among the relevant actors. Capabilities - Partners of the project are: the municipalities of Ostuni and Fasano, very active in pursuing the governance of the coastal areas; LE BELLE IMPRESE SRL, chief co-ordinator, with expertise in local development and enterprise creation; ECOMED, expert in Mediterranean eco-networking; EUTROPIA ONLUS, skilled on local governance and policy making; IDRA, expert in environmental analysis and design. Methodology - Identification of a set o sustainability indicators, calibrated on the environmental realities of the coastal zones and on the environmental impact of tourism itself; implementation of an "environmental audit" in district sub-areas, their correspondence to sustainability criteria being evaluated on the basis of the indicators proposed. Costs/Benefits - The results of the project will be relevant for many other similar areas on the Mediterranean shores. The social, economic, and the innovation impact on institutional life is estimated much greater than the direct and indirect costs. Products to be consigned - The Operative Handbook to implement a model for sustainable district development in Mediterranean coastal areas, with special emphasis on the tourism sector. Dissemination - A dedicated INTERNET site + a CD-ROM [framed for a self-learning approach] illustrating methods, strategies and obstacles on the path to achieve sustainability in a coastal district. Il progetto mette in opera un'Agenda 21 locale in un'area costiera della Regione Puglia. Le azioni comprendono un tavolo di negoziato ambientale; un sistema di audit ambientale e sostegni-incentivi agli attori locali [istituzioni, amministrazione, imprese, associazionismo civico] perché convergano verso un sentiero di sostenibilità. Il progetto ha ricadute positive per strategie di sviluppo sostenibile in altre aree costiere del Mediterraneo.