UBBSLA is preparing for the 2nd International Learning Event
Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (UBBSLA) is hosting a virtual international conference “‘Beach waste management, in particular, waste disposal and collection aspects'”, which will be held on July 9, 2020. The event is part of the implementation of the project “CAPonLITTER Capitalising good coastal practices and improving policies to prevent marine litter“, which aims at improving policies and practices that can help in preventing marine litter that results from coastal tourism and recreational activities. More specifically, the project is focusing on key fractions of waste, such as plastic food and drink containers originating from beach facilities and recreational events, due to improper behaviour of consumers but also to lack of incentives and structures for prevention, collection and recycling of waste. The project involves authorities and organisations from Portugal, Spain, France, Croatia, Greece, Bulgaria and Germany, territories in which coastal tourism is a key economic activity, which is not only highly impacted by marine litter but can also put significant pressure on local infrastructures and generate large amounts of unmanaged waste.
The second International Learning Event, planned to be held as a study visit to Bulgaria with involvement of all partners and national stakeholders, will be held online due to the specifics of the pandemic situation throughout Europe. The program of the virtual event includes topics such as waste generation from beach areas, their separation and processing, and each of the partner countries will share their experience and good practices.
9th of July 2020, Bulgaria / 10:00 – 13:50 Central European Time (CET)
Working language: English
Now, we present you here some of the participating stakeholders from partner’s countries:
From Bulgaria:
- Association “BG Be Active”
An association with a mission to develop and change the people, communities, systems and cities in Bulgaria. The team of the association believes in the benefits of an active lifestyle, in the power of civic participation and in the infectious example of the ennobled urban environment. They organize training projects, public actions, urban activities, sports events, we build volunteer networks and conduct information campaigns. Through them they involve the citizens of different settlements in Bulgaria and together they create a new sustainable culture of responsibility for our personal and public well-being.
Nora Stefanova from the association will present a presentation “Involvement of young people and local citizens in the implementation of strategies for beach protection and beach waste management “ - Quarantine Film Festival
Quarantine is an international short film festival designed to promote young and unknown authors among professional filmmakers. The festival is organized entirely on a voluntary basis, and screenings are free. Organizers and volunteers are not paid for their work.
The festival is held on the beach in front of the fishing village “Quarantine”, which is one of the last fishing villages in the region of Varna. The village is in danger of demolition due to the construction of a luxury residential building immediately behind it. Provoking cultural exchange between contemporary artists from around the world and locals, we intend to turn the Quarantine into a cultural and art area and preserve the way of life of fishermen.
Georgi Krastev – director of the festival will present the “The Quarantine Festival, as a means of activating local communities in beach management and conservation strategies”
From Spain:
With an area of 1,658 square kilometres, Fuerteventura is the second largest of the Canary Islands. UNESCO declared the island and its marine habitat a Biosphere Reserve in 2009. The cultural, ethnological, natural, marine, landscape and geological values, as well as the commitment to the Fuerteventura island to renewable energies, water management and responsible fishing, have made the island and a large part of its seas, worthy of the title of Biosphere Reserve, a recognition of the work of its people in favour of sustainable development.
From the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve work is already underway with other reserves in the named ‘Zero Plastic Working Group‘, of the worldwide network of islands and coastal areas, which is rooted in local community values to address the serious impacts that existing plastic pollution in the atmosphere, oceans, fresh water and land systems has on biodiversity and human health.
Mrs. Bárbara Y. Abaroa Pérez, marine scientist and technician from the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve will present ‘Volunteering as support in the management of marine waste collection on the coast of the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve.
Clean Ocean Project is a non-governmental organization based on Fuerteventura island. It was founded in 2000 to protect the oceans, waves and beaches. Our approach is simple, we are driven by the idea that everybody is part of the problem – and the solution. Do your bit, be part of it. Over the years they have organized regular beach clean up, initiated projects to inform and educate and joined activities of other organizations on Fuerteventura, the Canary Islands and abroad.
Lately they focused on the plastic pollution of the ocean: ‘It endangers the ocean and the marine wildlife around the world. And in the end us. To recycle and reuse is a good step. But the only solution is to stop the use of plastic. And therefore we have to stop our single-use mentality. Here you can follow our latest initiatives.’
Mr. Lærke Heilmann, Project Coordinator at Clean Ocean Project will present ‘Playa pallet: every day is beach clean-up day.’
From Germany:
BUND is a grassroots NGO with more than 480,000 members and supporters. It was founded in 1975 to promote nature conservation and protect the environment. BUND gets involved in policy making processes on environment issues, climate, transport, chemicals and agriculture. It supports renewable energies and is opposed to nuclear energy. As a part of the Friends of the Earth network, it lobbies in Brussels and Berlin.
Mrs. Dorothea Seeger, marine litter expert from the NGO Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND e.V.), will present thw Seas at Risk, and Coalition Clean Baltic
- North Sea Bath Spiekeroog GmbH
Barbara Voß, project coordinator Sustainability and Climate Protection from the North Sea Bath Spiekeroog GmbH based on Spiekeroog, a German island in the North Sea will present the German experience