Schoolchildren, local communities and government policymakers are among those engaged in a project which is finding new ways to solve the problem of marine litter on the beaches and in the seas around Albania, Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria. The Marine Litter Transnational Legislation Enhancement and Improvement project (MELTEMI) is working to boost legal frameworks and increase the capacity of public bodies and wider society to deal with this growing problem.
- 12 April 2019
As marine litter has become an alarming issue calling for a systemic reaction, MELTEMI brings together all sectors of society, from schools and the civil sector to local administrations in different countries, in an integrated effort to inform, educate and train them to take action.
MELTEMI has performed a number of complementary tasks to strengthen efforts to reduce marine litter, including:
Delivering a baseline assessment of marine litter at specific coastal zones in the cross-border area; Reviewing existing national legal policy frameworks for the regulation of waste and protection of the environment from marine litter;Suggesting improvements to those legal and policy frameworks and outlining best practices at international, national and local level;Helping decision-makers develop plans for reducing marine litter at source; andIncreasing public awareness and boosting environmental education about marine litter.A key task for the Meltemi team has been to offer training and help to local authorities so they can make informed decisions and adopt the most suitable practices for reducing marine litter. These activities are being laid down in national action plan proposals for each participating country.
The final stage is to integrate these plans into a single, coherent transnational action plan proposal which reflects the needs of the entire cross-border area.
The goal is to develop a coordinated approach to a problem which does not respect national borders. A total of 155 stakeholders attended workshops where they were provided with guidance on designing the plans.
Public engagement
MELTEMI has run a number of activities to spread the message about marine litter. It established five ‘Blue Cafés’ which allowed local groups to get involved in creating the policy frameworks. Around 150 people took part in these meetings, which were held in public places like coffee shops and bookstores.
More than 450 students from 12 schools took part in marine litter assessments. They learned about the scale of the problem in educational seminars organised by MELTEMI scientists. Radio interviews, project presentations and a strong presence on social media have helped to raise issues with the wider public.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “MELTIMI: Marine Litter Transnational Legislation Enhancement and Improvement” is EUR 1 214 936, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 1 032 695 through the “Interreg V-B Balkan-Mediterranean” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Better public administration”.