Shaping an Holistic Approach to Protect the Adriatic Environment between coast and sea (SHAPE)

SHAPE project aims at the development of a multilevel and cross-sector governance system, based on an holistic approach and on an integrated management of the natural resources, risk’s prevention (including the risks exacerbated by climate change and sea level rise) and conflicts resolution among uses and users of the Adriatic coast and sea. Coast and sea are strategic for the well-being and prosperity of the Adriatic Countries, they have economic and ecological values, but they are subject to high pressures, as human activities tend to develop together, coming into conflict with each other and with the environment protection goals. The partners involved, recognize the Adriatic Sea as a single water body (same approach is also envisaged in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive) because of its sensitivities and simultaneously growing pressures from human activities. To face local and global threats in a comprehensive way, to embrace several issues on a marine basin scale, to coordinate individual actions towards joint objectives, to create synergies and strengthen the cooperation, SHAPE project involves six Adriatic Countries in a three years period. In line with EU horizontal/vertical policies and in the frame of programme’s strategy, the project promotes the strengthening of the institutional capacity to preserve and manage natural and cultural resources and risks’ prevention, assuring the rational use of the Adriatic Sea and its resources and enabling to solve conflicts among different uses. The focus is on ICZM and MSP. Project activities aim to promote the application and successful implementation of the ICZM Protocol in the Mediterranean and the Roadmap for MSP in the Adriatic region. The activities are structured in five Work Packages (WP):
• WP1 – Cross-border Project Management and Coordination
• WP2 - Communication and dissemination
• WP3 - Integrated Coastal Zone Management
• WP4 - "Shipping” towards Maritime Spatial Planning
• WP5 - Within land and sea, dealing with the integration between ICZM and MSP