On September 26-27, VLPF participated in the kickoff meeting of the Interreg IPA-ADRION JOINABLE project (JOINt approAch to Blue circuLar Economy – for Adriatic and Ionian Region), dedicated to the development of the blue circular economy in the Adriatic-Ionian Region.
The event, held at the offices of the Municipality of Punat in Croatia, brought together representatives from six countries.
Croatia was represented by the Municipality of Punat, the project leader, and by Sensum Consulting, a company specializing in sustainable development and climate change projects.
Italy was represented by Venice Lagoon Plastic Free and by AMAP (The Marche’s Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries), which supports the promotion and development of innovative solutions in agriculture and fisheries.
Greece was represented by the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (IED), which promotes entrepreneurship in circular economy development.
Montenegro participated through the University of Montenegro / Univerzitet Crne Gore (UCG) Faculty of Marine Studies in Kotor.
Albania was represented by the NGO ETMI – Institute for Environmental and Territorial Management, as well as the Municipality of Divjakë.
Lastly, North Macedonia was represented by the University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” in Ohrid.
During the two-day meeting, the various work packages of the project were reviewed, the technical reports to be prepared were discussed, and the roles assigned according to the work plan were outlined.
VLPF is coordinating WP2 of the project, titled “Bottom-up approach to blue circular economy.” VLPF also conducted an initial practical training session on the cataloging of marine waste, working with partners to record the waste recently collected during a monitoring activity in Venice, using the app developed by VLPF as part of the HEUROPE REMEDIES project.
In particular, VLPF will be responsible for:
- Facilitating the establishment of a collaborative framework which will serve as a platform for cooperation and implementation of blue circular economy involving agencies, NGOs, local communities, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Promoting transnational cooperation in monitoring and cleaning up marine and fresh waters litter.
- Contributing to the availability of comprehensive beach litter data in the Adrion region and local decision makers will have access to data through the EMODnet database, enabling them to make informed decisions.
- Building a citizen-driven feed-stock, meaning that citizens will actively participate in the blue circular economy.
The JOINABLE project aims to develop a sustainable blue circular economy by addressing abandoned waste in the sea and inland waters through a transnational approach and territorial cooperation. Over the course of its three-year duration, JOINABLE will promote digital solutions, action plans, and collaborations among partners in EU Member States and IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) countries, without requiring significant initial investments.
The project’s primary objective is to create a network of volunteers, municipalities, and SMEs that work together to turn abandoned plastic into objects for public use. Through a bottom-up approach, waste will be removed from the natural environment, transformed into secondary raw materials, and repurposed. These actions will stimulate innovation and sustainability in the Adriatic-Ionian regions.