European Regions Charter for the promotion of a common framework for strategic actions aimed at the protection and sustainable development of the Mediterranean coastal areas

THE BOLOGNA CHARTER

The Bologna Charter is aimed at strengthening the role of the coastal administrations in the context of European policies and initiatives at the Mediterranean scale referring to: coastal protection, integrated management of the coastal and marine systems (including MSP and Blue Growth) and adaptation to climate change. To this regard, it promotes and outlines a Macro-Project initiative for the current programming period of the European Structural Funds (2014-2020), designed for a coherent Mediterranean macro-thematic and multi-sectoral strategy.

The Macro-Project is detailed in the Joint Action Plan developed under the COASTGAP capitalization project. Although the focus is on coastal planning and management and adaptation to climate change, MSP approaches and principles are clearly considered relevant and taken in consideration by the Macro-Project. This includes initiatives where land-sea interactions is highly relevant, as: (b) surveying erosion status and flood hazard along the Mediterranean coasts; (d) identifying, characterising and promoting the sustainable use of strategic resources like the coastal and submarine stocks of sediments; (e) fostering integrated territorial and marine planning along with the principles of ICZM and MSP.

IMPLEMENTATION CONTEXT

The “Bologna Charter 2012” (European Regions Charter for the promotion of a common framework for strategic actions aimed at the protection and sustainable development of the Mediterranean coastal areas) was developed within the MAREMED project and with the support of the FACECOAST Med-cluster (Face the Challenge of Climate Change in the Med Coastal Zones). It re-launches the principles of the former Bologna Charter 2007, drafted within the BEACHMED-e project.

On 17th September 2012 the Charter was adopted by the Emilia-Romagna Region (Resolution of the Regional Government n. 1346). On 21st March 2013 the Charter was signed in Brussels by 14 regions from different European countries. At July 2016, 29 administration/territorial bodies have joined the Bologna Charter plus the Intermediterranean Commission of CRPM (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions) that adopted the Charter in June 2013.

who join us