Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B EURO Mediterranean (EURO MED)

Date of latest update: 2025-05-27

Description

Description (EN):

The Mediterranean is a vulnerable hotspot in the current Climate Emergency. Tourism is and will be one of the most impacted economic sectors, with heightened risks, including flooding and erosion of key coastal assets. The recent Transition Pathway for Tourism and the Glasgow Declaration are building a global momentum for Climate Action in Tourism, but policy makers and destinations need support and new approaches. Nature can be a cornerstone to address this challenge, while ensuring the protection of key destination assets, such as beaches. How? Through climate mitigation and adaptation using ecosystem-based approaches, which can only be accomplished through strong governance, robust planning, and the engagement of the private sector and citizens. NaTour4CChange will build on successful experiences at Med and global level to test solutions for increasing the resilience of coastal destinations in the Mediterranean. The project will set common methods to allow participating regions to assess their tourism-related climate adaptation and mitigation priorities, and take climate action via plans and strategies, supported by cooperative governance. In coastal destinations, cross-sector teams will deliver specific tourism climate action plans, focusing climate adaptation, where Nature-based Solutions will be tested to ensure their feasibility, while innovative destination marketing and communication approaches will engage private stakeholders, visitors and residents in climate action. Finally, NaTour4CChange will promote cross-fertilization among participating regions and destinations, to achieve common methods and to compare the different tested plans and solutions, which will lead to lessons, best practices and policy recommendations. Associated partners and external stakeholders —at regional, national and international scale— will benefit from these learnings in order to make a significant Med contribution to this global challenge.

Description (FR):

La Méditerranée est une zone vulnérable dans l’état d'urgence climatique actuel. Le tourisme est l'un des secteurs économiques les plus touchés, avec des risques accrus, notamment les inondations et l’érosion côtière. Le parcours de transition pour le tourisme et la Déclaration de Glasgow ont créé une dynamique mondiale pour l’action climatique dans le tourisme, mais les décideurs politiques et les destinations ont besoin de soutien et de nouvelles approches. La nature peut être une pierre angulaire pour relever ce défi, tout en assurant la protection des atouts essentiels, tels que les plages. Comment? Grâce à l'atténuation et l'adaptation au changement climatique avec des approches écosystémiques, qui ne peuvent être accomplies que grâce à une gouvernance forte, une planification solide et l'engagement du secteur privé et des citoyens. NaTour4CChange s’appuiera sur des expériences réussies pour tester des solutions visant à accroître la résilience des destinations côtières en Méditerranée. Le projet établira des méthodes communes pour permettre aux régions participantes d'évaluer leurs priorités d'adaptation et d'atténuation liées au tourisme, et d'agir pour le climat à travers des plans et des stratégies, en s'appuyant sur la collaboration. Des équipes intersectorielles fourniront des plans d'action climatique spécifiques au tourisme, en se concentrant sur l’adaptation, où des Solutions fondées sur la Nature seront testées pour garantir leur faisabilité, tandis que des approches novatrices en matière de marketing et de communication engageront les acteurs privés, les visiteurs et les résidents. NaTour4CChange encouragera la fertilisation croisée entre les régions et les destinations pour parvenir à des méthodes communes, ce qui conduira à des leçons, des meilleures pratiques et des recommandations. Les partenaires associés et les parties prenantes externes bénéficieront de ces apprentissages afin d'apporter une contribution de la Méditerranée à ce défi mondial.

Actual Achievements (EN):

Natour4CChange partnership began meeting regularly online in December 2023, after the Programme's approval, to manage the contracting process and initiate project activities. These meetings were organized, coordinated, and moderated by the LP. The kick-off meeting took place via Zoom on March 5, 2024, and an in-person PSC meeting followed in Zagreb on June 17–19, 2024, where further steps for each WP were defined and training for Regions and pilot sites was also provided. In WP1, the first activity focused on launching Act. 1.1 (WP Coordination), resulting in the realization of Deliv. 1.1.1, i.e the Coordination Plan. Carbon footprint monitoring (Act. 1.2) is ongoing, with all partners submitting necessary data following the Community4Tourism meeting in Rome and the June meeting in Zagreb. The first deliv., led by Plan Blue, issued from Act. 1.3, was the designing of an online survey, implementing it, and processing survey results on best practices in climate action for coastal tourism destinations. The survey aimed to identify gaps in climate resilience actions in Mediterranean tourism, and the findings will serve as a baseline for future activities. Deliv. 1.4.1, i.e. the Methodological Framework for assessing coastal tourism-related issues concerning climate change (CC) mitigation, and Deliv. 1.4.2, focused on CC adaptation, were developed to be used by Regions and pilot destinations. These frameworks contain criteria and indicators for climate change mitigation and adaptation tailored to territorial dynamics in each region and pilot site. A training session on these methods was conducted during the June 2024 PSC meeting in Zagreb. Progress has also been made on Act. 1.5 and 1.6, which focus on drafting plans and strategies at the regional and destination levels and identifying enabling conditions for their success. Act. 1.9 (coordinated by IUCN), related to capacity development for pilot regions and destinations and experience exchange, has delivered its first output, i.e. the Capacity Development Plan (Deliv. 1.9.1). This plan outlines training approaches and events throughout the project and includes several activities aimed at facilitating the exchange of best practices and experiences. In Act. 1.11, the partnership has consistently published project-related news on the web, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Additionally, LP and HSPN launched in June 2024 two social media accounts for the project (LinkedIn and YouTube), and the project website was finalized and published on June 18, 2024. The partnership has attended several events, including the Community4Tourism Kick-Off Meeting and EuroMed training events. Internal communication remains active through regular emails and monthly online meetings. The project's Communication Strategy (part of Act. 1.11), developed by HSPN, has been also approved by the partnership. In WP2, the Coordination Plan (Activity 2.1) was developed by CPMR and subsequently approved by the partnership. In Act. 2.2 all the five Regional Coordination Units (RCUs) were established. Each region has provided documents outlining the context, tasks, responsibilities, and functioning of their respective RCUs. In Act. 2.3 the selection of pilot destinations and "Pilot Site Coordinators" is nearly complete, with all pilot destinations chosen except for France, where alternatives are still being considered. Project Regions are finalizing the geographical scope of these destinations and appointing coordinators, under the supervision of the RCUs. in parallel each RCU has started to work for the identification of main CC-related issues in coastal tourism (Act. 2.4) in order to start the draft of an integrated “Regional Tourism Climate Strategy” for mitigating and adapting the whole Regional coastline to the Climate Change. IUCN (WP coordinator), developed the WP3 coordination plan. The first task involved defining for the PP Regions a common set of criteria for selecting and defining pilot destinations based on the IUCN Nature-based Solutions standard. This set of criteria was approved by the partnership. IUCN and CPMR were overseeing the selection of pilot destinations to ensure alignment with project goals. The appointed Pilot Site Coordinators have started establishing the Tourism Climate Action Task Force (Activity 3.2), which aims to engage key public and private stakeholders at the local level. Additionally, they have begun analyzing climate change-related issues, that will allow them to draft their Destination Tourism Climate Action Plan (Activity 3.4), and design/kick off at least one Nature-based Solution. Through these ongoing efforts, the Natour4CChange project is making significant progress across all WPs, setting the stage for impactful climate resilience actions in Mediterranean tourism regions and destinations.

Project outputs: Capitalization Report that describes the whole approach for planning CC resilience in the tourism sector, including lessons learnt and policy recommendations(EN)
n.a.(FR)
n.a.(FR)

10 Project Partners and 5 Associated Partners organizations cooperating formally in the supported project (EN)
5 Regional Strategies on Climate mitigation and adaptation for the coastal tourism sector, including Enabling conditions for delivery(EN)
n.a.(FR)
6 Reports on designed/strengthened/assessed NbS(EN)
n.a.(FR)
Website: https://interreg-euro-med.eu/en/

Thematic information

Tourism Climate change and biodiversity Knowledge and technology transfer

Priority: (VI-B_EM_2) Greener MED

Priority specific objective: RSO2.4. Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience, taking into account eco-system based approaches

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 061 Risk prevention and management of non-climate related natural risks (for example earthquakes) and risks linked to human activities (for example technological accidents), including awareness raising, civil protection and disaster management systems, infrastructures and ecosystem based approaches

Partners (11)

Lead Partner: Institut za turizam

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 934191966

Partner’s ID if not PIC: HR10264179101 | HR120000019 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Vrhovec, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Department address: Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.iztzg.hr

Total budget: EUR 355 115.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 284 092.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 71 023.00

Contractors:

Name: Luca Santarossa
VAT registration or tax identification number: SNTLCU65C12G888C

Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva I vodoprivrede HNŽ/K

Name: Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva I vodoprivrede HNŽ/K

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 4227552000004 | BA120000011 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Hrvatske mladeži, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department address: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: https://www.vlada-hnz-k.ba/hr/ministarstvo-poljoprivrede-sumarstva-i-vodoprivrede

Total budget: EUR 219 155.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 175 324.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 43 831.00

Ελληνική Εταιρία Προστασίας της Φύσης | Elliniki Eteria Prostasias tis Fisis

Name: Ελληνική Εταιρία Προστασίας της Φύσης | Elliniki Eteria Prostasias tis Fisis

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 952966704

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 90136803 | EL220000008 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Nikis str, 10557 Athens, Greece

Department address: Greece

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://www.eepf.gr/en/

Total budget: EUR 182 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 145 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 36 400.00

Περιφέρεια Κρήτης

Name: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης

Department: Department of European International Affairs

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 961026337

Partner’s ID if not PIC: EL997579388 | EL243000001 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: G.Averof, 71201 Heraklion, Greece

Department address: G.Averof, 71201 Heraklion, Greece

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.crete.gov.gr

Total budget: EUR 245 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 196 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 49 000.00

NATURA -JADERA javna ustanova za upravljanje zaštićenim dijelovima prirode na području Zadarske Ž.

Name: NATURA -JADERA javna ustanova za upravljanje zaštićenim dijelovima prirode na području Zadarske Ž.

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 884817996

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 09660701704 | HR120000020 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Ul. Braće Vranjana, 23000 Zadar, Croatia

Department address: Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Sectoral agency

Website: https://natura-jadera.com/

Total budget: EUR 219 928.83

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 175 943.06

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 43 985.77

Contractors:

Name: TajMar obrt za savjetovanje
VAT registration or tax identification number: 67908796283
Name: Nature& Adventure, obrt
VAT registration or tax identification number: 66538435992

Regione Autonoma della Sardegna

Name: Regione Autonoma della Sardegna

Department: Department of Environment / Regional Public authority

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 80002870923 | IT2G2000001 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Via Roma, 09123 Cagliari, Italy

Department address: Via Roma, 09123 Cagliari, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.regione.sardegna.it

Total budget: EUR 342 750.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 274 200.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 68 550.00

Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía

Name: Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 886091121

Partner’s ID if not PIC: S4111001F | ES1S0000030 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Av. De Roma, 41013 Sevilla, Spain

Department address: Spain

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: https://juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/turismoculturaydeporte.html

Total budget: EUR 258 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 206 400.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 51 600.00

UNION INTERNATIONALE POUR LA CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE ET DE SES RESSOURCES

Name: UNION INTERNATIONALE POUR LA CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE ET DE SES RESSOURCES

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999918972

Partner’s ID if not PIC: W0391213F | ES530000304 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Calle Marie Curie, 29590 Campanillas, Spain

Department address: Spain

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.iucn.org

Total budget: EUR 450 140.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 360 112.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 90 028.00

Contractors:

Name: GRUPO DE AUDITORES PÚBLICOS
VAT registration or tax identification number: A92015254

Conférence des Régions Périphériques et Maritimes d’Europe

Name: Conférence des Régions Périphériques et Maritimes d’Europe

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 892326281

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FR31530548361 | FR590000004 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Rue Saint Martin, 35700 Rennes, France

Department address: France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://cpmr.org/fr/

Total budget: EUR 340 850.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 272 680.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 68 170.00

Contractors:

Name: BDL
VAT registration or tax identification number: FR66316359504
Name: Travel Foundation
VAT registration or tax identification number: N/A

Plan Bleu pour l’environnement et le développement en Méditerranée

Name: Plan Bleu pour l’environnement et le développement en Méditerranée

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 997732883

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 33332248500058 | FR590000005 | - (FR), - (EN)

Address: Boulevard Euroméditerranée - Quai d'Arenc, 13002 Marseille, France

Department address: France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.planbleu.org

Total budget: EUR 365 005.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 292 004.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 73 001.00

Contractors:

Name: ANTE MANDIC
VAT registration or tax identification number: 32306445228
Name: DELOITTE ET ASSOCIES
VAT registration or tax identification number: FR02572028041
Name: Alexandra McCaffery
VAT registration or tax identification number: N/A

Sub-Contractors:

Name: ANTE MANDIC
VAT registration or tax identification number: 32306445228
Name: DELOITTE ET ASSOCIES
VAT registration or tax identification number: FR02572028041
Name: Alexandra McCaffery
VAT registration or tax identification number: N/A

Plan Bleu pour l'Environnement et le Développement en Méditerranée

Name: Plan Bleu pour l'Environnement et le Développement en Méditerranée

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 997732883

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SIRET 333 322 485 00058

Address: Boulevard Euroméditerranée - Quai d'Arenc, 13002 Marseille, France

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.planbleu.org

Total budget: EUR 365 005.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 292 004.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 73 001.00

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Water management of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Region of Crete

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

NATURA-JADERA public institution for management of protected areas in the County of Zadar

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Autonomous Region of Sardinia

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Andalucia Region - Tourism Culture and Sports

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

INTERNATIONAL UNION FORCONSERVATION OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Plan Bleu for the environment and development in the Mediterranean

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Institute for tourism

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Partners and Projects info

Plan Bleu for Mediterranean Environment and Development

Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Project name (FR): La gouvernance du tourisme durable dans des territoires à haute valeur environnementale : le lien entre tourisme et nature pour faire face à la crise climatique avec une approche écosystémique

Project acronym: NaTour4CChange

Project ID: Euro-MED0200735

Project start date: 2024-01-01

Project end date: 2026-09-30

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

DestiMED PLUS (EN), n.a. (FR) | This Interreg MED project – some of the current project proposals’ PPs were being part of – has fostered the need of an integrated governance to ensure a sincere sustainability in the tourism sector, through 3 main assets:
At Regions’ level, creating an interdepartmental working group – the Regional Ecotourism Coordination Table, involving at least the tourism and the environment offices – with the aim of planning a strategy for ecotourism development in the whole regional territory
At pilot site destination level, creating a “Local Ecotourism Cluster”, where the local main stakeholders – Park managing body, local inbound tour operator, main local tourism service providers – were involved in designing an ecotourism package and test it twice, every time improving the package on the basis of the project partnership’s assessment
At Mediterranean level, creating the Mediterranean Ecotourism Consortium (MEC, that is embedded in the “Cultural and Sustainable Tourism Task Force” of the Intermediterranean Commission of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions), which aims at improving the integration of regional tourism and environmental policies and the policy frameworks at Euro-Mediterranean scale.
All these assets will be exploited in the current project to reinforce the tourism governance capacities in increasing the resilience of the tourism sector of the Mediterranean region to Climate Change effects.
(EN), n.a. (FR), n.a. (FR), Posbemed2 (EN) | This Interreg MED project – some of the current project proposals’ PPs were being part of – managed to test and evaluate management options to observe occurring Climate-related changes on coastal ecosystems and define a set of solutions that maintain in the best possible way the state of conservation of the environment in coastal areas, focusing on beaches and Posidonia beach-dune system management.
It analysed the historical and temporal evolution of the pilot sites’ coastline and evaluated nature-based alternatives for operational practices that could become decision-supporting tools for management authorities.
The project implemented many local awareness actions and programs for different typologies of stakeholders and capacity building workshops on coastal dynamics and management for technical coastal managers.
All these tools will be exploited to develop the current project’s methods and tools to improve the skills and capacities of involved actors.
(EN), n.a. (FR), RESIN (EN), n.a. (FR) | RESIN is an interdisciplinary, practice-based research project – funded by Horizon 2020 Programme – investigating climate resilience in European cities.
Through co-creation and knowledge brokerage between cities and researchers, the project is working on developing practical and applicable tools to support cities in designing and implementing climate adaptation strategies for their local contexts.
The project aims to compare and evaluate the methods that can be used to plan for climate adaptation in order to move towards the formal standardisation of adaptation strategies.
The RESIN project developed the “European Climate Risk Typology”, which addresses Climate Change issues by providing an innovative approach to enhance understanding of climate risk in European cities and regions. The available interactive online portal provides data and functionality, enabling users to visualise, describe, compare and analyse climate risk in European cities and regions.
The current project will exploit the vast database – available in the RESIN platform – that describes best practices all around Europe about Climate Change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
(EN), n.a. (FR), n.a. (FR), ADAPTOUR (EN) | The “Adaptation to climate change in the tourism sector” project works in three tourist destinations in Mexico and is funded by the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ).
The project is supporting the tourism sector in adapting to climate change, where the specific aim is to reduce the business risks of tourism companies and protect their natural capital (such as beaches, reefs, rainforests and biodiversity) and ecosystem services (water supply, protection against hurricanes, floods, landslides, etc.).
It is developing a “National Adaptation Plan for the tourism sector” as part of the Mexican National Plan for Adaptation (NAP), which provides assistance in the integration of criteria and adaptation measures in sectoral plans and processes (e.g. programmes of investment), and puts particular emphasis on sensibilization of the stakeholders about the outcomes of climate change.
The project will gain many benefits from this advanced experience through the involvement of ADAPTUR technical partner as Associated Partner in our project.
(EN), n.a. (FR), ADAPT Cala Millor (EN), n.a. (FR) | The Spanish LIFE project AdaptCalaMillor – recently funded by the EU – will validate new methodologies based on science and participatory and governance schemes, such as the involvement of citizens in decision-making on coastal planning and management, which increases the resilience of urban beaches.
The implementation in Cala Millor will lead to the definition of a long-term adaptation strategy based on the understanding and agreement of a wide range of actors who share interests and skills in this bay. Its implementation will minimise the physical, environmental and socioeconomic effects expected for this section of the coast of Mallorca.
The current project will look at the participatory and governance methods developed in such an experience to extract innovative approaches in this sense, liasing with the Associated Partners from Balearic Islands. .
(EN), n.a. (FR), n.a. (FR), MedECC (EN) | The Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC) is an independent network of scientists, founded in 2015. MedECC assesses the best available scientific knowledge on climate and environmental change and associated risks in the Mediterranean Basin in order to render it accessible to policymakers, stakeholders and citizens.
MedECC drafts every 3-5 year a report on climate and environmental changes in the Mediterranean basin, and these reports are developed on the basis of scientific criteria only and are prepared for the use of policymakers and a broader audience.
The 2nd report is supposed to be issued in early 2023, and the project will build its initial survey on available knowledge on it. (EN), n.a. (FR), COPERNICUS (EN), n.a. (FR) | n.a. (FR), Copernicus is the European Union's Earth observation programme, looking at our planet and its environment to benefit all European citizens. It offers information services that draw from satellite Earth Observation and in-situ (non-space) data.
The European Commission manages the Programme. It is implemented in partnership with the Member States, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), EU Agencies and Mercator Océan.
It issues the “European State of the Climate” annually, a useful benchmark for the assessment of the good status of the environment and provides tools to enable policy makers and businesses to develop Climate Change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
The project will base its analysis and planning in coherence with the most updated report that will be available
(EN), Climate-ADAPT (EN), n.a. (FR) | n.a. (FR), The European Climate Adaptation Platform Climate-ADAPT is a partnership between the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA). Climate-ADAPT is maintained by the EEA with the support of the European Topic Centre on Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation (ETC/CCA).
Climate-ADAPT aims to support Europe in adapting to climate change helping users to access and share data and information on:
Expected climate change in Europe
Current and future vulnerability of regions and sectors
EU, national and transnational adaptation strategies and actions
Adaptation case studies and potential adaptation options
Tools that support adaptation planning
The current project will exploit the vast database – available in the Climate-ADAPT platform – that describes best practices all around Europe about Climate Change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
(EN), PEDRR (EN), n.a. (FR) | Formally established in 2008, the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR) is a global alliance of UN agencies, NGOs and specialist institutes. As a global thematic platform of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), PEDRR seeks to promote and scale-up implementation of Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) where partners implement collectively planned initiatives and activities.
PEDRR is therefore a clearinghouse for knowledge, training, advocacy and practice on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR). Eco-DRR is the sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems to reduce disaster risk, with the aim to achieve sustainable and resilient development.
The current project will exploit the vast database – available in the PEDRR platform – that describes best practices all around the world about Climate Change mitigation and adaptation strategies
(EN), n.a. (FR), Planning and delivering Nature-based Solutions in Mediterranean cities (EN), n.a. (FR) | This IUCN project piloted the assessment of NBS in the Mediterranean context, focusing on cities. One of the initial assessment family of NbS interventions has been the use of NbS for coastal resilience in a context of rising sea levels. This include the following examples: MARSEILLE (France) - New Stormwater Retention Basins; ALICANTE (Spain) - Park of the Sea – Parque del Mar; MÁLAGA (Spain) - Coastal Trail – Senda Litoral; NAPLES (Italy). Regeneration of Bagnoli coastal area.
This project provides an approach on how to assess the NbS solutions against the IUCN Standard on Nature Based Soulutions. (EN), n.a. (FR), MPA ADAPT - MPA ENGAGE (EN), n.a. (FR) | Those InterregMED projects dealt with climate change adaptation in Mediterranean MPA, and developed a series of tools that the project will capitalize, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of the Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas to face the climate change emergency, including:
Monitoring systems Toolbox
Vulnerability Assessments Toolbox
Adaptation and Mitigation Plans Toolbox
Participatory Approaches Toolbox
E-learning (EN), n.a. (FR), n.a. (FR), ENSERES (EN) | n.a. (FR), The ENI CBC MED capitalisation project ENSERES (ENhancing Socio-Ecological RESilience in Mediterranean coastal areas), works dealing with the cumulative impacts of overexploitation, population, governance and climate change exerted pressures on Mediterranean coastal and marine areas are leading to undermine biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and threatening the Mediterranean lifestyle. To ensure sustainability, and at the same time, increased blue economy plans demands to protect vulnerable areas and the local economy, the use of ecosystem-based management (EBM) approaches is becoming crucial to address such impacts based on strengthening social and ecological resilience. The heart of the solution would be to set transformative governance mechanisms, building capacities, ensuring sustainable financial and community engagement for bringing improvements to people’s lives and nature. To deal with these global challenges and support the implementation of transformative changes in the Mediterranean region, ENSERES capitalises on existing transferable models and tools to promote the application of integrated governance and management approaches across administrative boundaries, and sustainable financing instruments across scales and users.
As Pan Bleu is an Associated Partner to the project, it will allow the ENSERES project results to be feeded into the project, which ends in September 2023. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 977 943.83

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 382 355.06

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Report sheet on best practices
n.a.
Methodological framework for Regions
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Methodological framework for Destinations
n.a.
Technical report and brief for Regions
n.a.
Technical report and brief for Destinations
n.a.
Technical report and brief
n.a.
NbS for Coastal Destinations Climate Action manual
n.a.
Destination Marketing and Visitor Communications manual
n.a.
Capitalisation report
n.a.
Project Video
n.a.
Project materials: Project Factsheet, Poster and Roll-up
n.a.
Regional Coordination Unit status report
n.a.
Pilot site destination(s) and Coordinator status report
n.a.
n.a.
Technical reports (x5)
Regional Tourism Climate Strategy/Plans (x5)
n.a.
n.a.
Self-assessments of enabling conditions (x5)
Criteria for pilot destinations selection
n.a.
Technical reports (x6) - Destination assasment report
n.a.
n.a.
Destination Tourism Climate Strategy/Plans (x6)
Nature-based Solutions Design/Strenghtening/Assessment Reports (x6)
n.a.
NbS Feasibility Report
n.a.
n.a.
Business and financial model guidelines for NbS implementation
Marketing and Communications Strategy/Plans for climate action (x6)
n.a.

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion The general objective of the EUSAIR is to promote economic and social prosperity and growth in the region by improving its attractiveness, competitiveness and connectivity. With four EU members and four non EU countries the strategy will contribute to the further integration of the Western Balkans, hence this project will continue to integrate EUSAIR countries through participation of Italy, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This project is aiming to create synergies and foster coordination among selected regions in the Adriatic-Ionian Region in the four thematic areas/pillars, where those this project would affect the most are sustainable tourism and environmental quality. The European Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region addresses how to consider the post-Covid situation in the elaboration of the Strategy. Some of the key conclusions are:
- coordination is a key factor in the response to the pandemic crisis;
- crisis as opportunity to accelerate some trends, one of which is digital one;
- strengthening resilience and achieving the strategic long-term objectives of the digital, green and fair transitions.
Therefore this project will address over-tourism and recovery in the light of trends and perspectives, and the implications for all sectors closely linked to tourism, in particular in terms of blue growth, connectivity and the environment, especially through the development of established inter-departmental coordination units (including at least the tourism and conservation departments), to define an integrated “Regional Climate Strategy for the tourism sector”, in a joint and collaborative manner The coordination unit will also select - using the common criteria developed in WP1 - and supervise the pilot site(s) that will be involved in the testing activities (WP3).
EuropeanGreenDeal The vision: to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, safeguard biodiversity, establish a circular economy and eliminate pollution, while boosting the competitiveness of European industry and ensuring a just transition for the regions and workers affected. Policy areas: biodiversity, sustainable food systems, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, sustainable industry, building and renovating, sustainable mobility, eliminating pollution and climate action. Cross-sectoral nature of tourism makes almost all of the EGD elements (from vision, to goals and actions) of direct consequence to tourism. Policy areas will undergo substantial changes that will create major shifts, uncertainties and challenges. However, EGD will “push” tourism to:
- Decrease its environmental impact / footprint;
- become environmentally more sustainable and therefore of higher quality and competitive;
- stimulate development of all tourism products with lower emissions and discourage the development of all other tourism products;
- promote sustainable development through all forms of formal and informal education (from primary schools to university degrees, and targeted educational workshops and seminars.
Hence, this project proposal is going to make DMOs draft CC-related “Tourism Destination Climate Action Plans” with a long-term perspective, using a participatory approach and the common structure developed in WP1 and consistent with the Regional Climate Strategy; among the numerous actions some NbSs must be indicated, based on the document prepared by WP1. Furthermore, this project proposal is going to address the need to improve tourism governance, to include destination sustainability indicators in all destination dashboards (or other methods of regulation within the destination) and to collect data and report on progress. This will be achieved through the measurement of the effectiveness of tested NbS against the Coastal Tourism Destination Climate Action Plan’s goals.
MediterraneanSeaBasin The WESTMED initiative faces how to consider the post-Covid situation in the achievement of its objectives. Hereby WESTMED - STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE (Nov. 2021) - Corridors to Sustainable Blue Development has emphasised maritime and coastal tourism which is also the focus of this project proposal. The main points raised are the relevance of reflecting on the challenges faced by the sector before the pandemic in order to support a resilient and robust recovery. Furthermore, Second Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy (Feb. 2021) adopted a new declaration, firmly committing to cooperate closely and address joint challenges in key blue economy sectors. They agree to promote transformative policies and tools such as maritime clusters or maritime spatial planning, and support the overall shift towards low-emission technologies and circular blue economy. New joint activities and projects will be set up on a wide range of issues, including “blue skills”, marine litter, marine renewable energies and nature-based tourism. Hence proposed project is going to reflect those needs through the development of NbS which will provide new knowledge and solutions focused on nature-based tourism, simultaneously tackling the needs of adaptation to climate change.
Other
UNEP MAP Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development
In the context of the articulation of the UNEP COVID-19 strategic response, this document identifies the main issues and priorities of relevance to the mandate of UNEP/MAP. One of the operative aims of this Strategy is Working with the environment to protect people: COVID-19 Response (May 2020). It concludes that to prevent future outbreaks, it is necessary to address the threats to ecosystems and wildlife, including habitat loss, illegal trade, pollution and climate change. To that end, the proposed project shall work together with the industry, public authorities, social partners and other stakeholders in the co-creation process that will lead to reducing negative impacts on (diverse) Mediterranean ecosystems and focus on the mitigation of Climate Change through actions transferable in other similar regions and destinations. Therefore one of the actions is to increase the Climate Change-related resilience of pilot tourism destinations through a long-term planning of evidence-based activities to adapt the destination to CC and through the testing of Nature-based Solutions to prove their effectiveness
Other EUROPEAN tourism convention 2020 – ETC 2020
The Convention gathered approximately 600 participants, including representatives of EU institutions, high-level representatives of EU national and regional public authorities, representatives of European sectoral associations and the tourism and travel industry, international organisations, academics, NGOs, as well as other relevant stakeholders. Workshops were divided in three topics and representatives from dozens of institutions have provided their input on the challenges, opportunities, potential actions, their timescale and actors in relation to (i) Safe and seamless tourism experience; (ii) Greener holidays and, (iii) Tourism powered by data.
Out of the emphasised areas, the one that is most in line with the proposed project is Greener holidays, where proposed areas of action are 1) to accelerate the decarbonisation towards climate-neutrality by 2050, 2) to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures for more resilient business and destinations, and 3) to encourage new business models through innovation for sustainable development and a circular tourism economy. The convention proved to be a good platform to formulate tourism aspects within the EU Green Deal discourse. The Convention built on the commitment for collaborative and coordinated action across multiple stakeholders that continued after the Conference with the Stakeholder consultation on the transition pathway for tourism.
Other Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism
Main goal of the Declaration is defining a clear and consistent sector-wide message and approach to climate action in the coming decade, aligned with the wider scientific framework and urgency to act now. This project also aims at outlining the pathways and specific actions that will accelerate tourism’s ability to transform tourism and mitigate CC. Project will also use the main five pathways Defined in the Declaration, with emphasis on collaboration, measurement and regeneration.
Other Transition Pathway for Tourism
The Transition Pathway for Tourism addresses the requests outlined above and paves the way for a forward-looking transition and long-term resilience for the tourism ecosystem, towards 2030 and beyond.
The transition pathway calls on the tourism community to implement measures in twenty-seven areas, including climate change. The need to actively assess measures to adapt to climate change and to preserve biodiversity, while developing economic activities and safeguarding their cultural heritage to meet the demands of digital and green transition is emphasized in the pathway and will be in focus of the NaTour4CChange project. Pathway also stressed out that climate mitigation and adaptation measures should always be included in the smart and sustainable tourism strategies on national, regional and local levels, whereby this Project will reflect on that matter in 11 regional and destination Plans.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 001 - Enterprises supported (of which: micro, small, medium, large), Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Programme Result Indicator:

RCR90N Long-term cross-border innovation networks, Measurement unit: Number of networks
PSI1 - Organisations with increased institutional capacity due to their participation in cooperation activities across borders, Measurement unit: organisations

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B EURO Mediterranean (EURO MED)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-05-27

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

64 / 64 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

608 / 608 (100%)

Notes on the data

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Governing sustainable tourism in territories with high environmental value: reconnecting tourism and nature for addressing the climate crisis with an ecosystem-based approach

Description

Thematic information

Partners (11)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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