Overview
Status: in progress
Categorization: ICZM
Country: Greece
Period: 01.01.1985 /
Contact info
Name: N/A N/A
Organization: Ministry of Environment & Energy
Email: na@na.com
:
Summary
Summary description: The Plan for the Integrated Management of the Coasts of Attika is a plan for the promotion of already underway policies and the development of new ones for the protection, opening up, upgrade and elevation of particular areas and landscapes of the Marine Front, in relation to their differentiated roles and particular physiognomies.
Type: plan
EU Challenges for sustainable tourism: (i) preserving and giving value to natural and cultural heritage and diversity, (ii) minimising resource use and production of waste, (iii) enhancing local community prosperity and quality of life, (iv) reducing the seasonality of demand, (vii) improving the quality of tourism jobs
EU Principles: (i) taking a holistic and integrated approach (economic, social and environmental aspects), (ii) planning for the long term, (iii) involving stakeholders, (iv) multilevel governance, (v) promoting awareness and commitment
Reason of interest for COASTING: PIMCA covers the entire range of interventions that promote ICZM and sustainable touristic development in the coasts, such as the following: - Landscape design interventions such as architectural interventions and formation of cycling routes that showcase the coasts’ unique identity. - New multi-level governance structures, such as synergies between the Region and Municipalities, and intermunicipal governance schemes to initiate strategic development planning, including touristic development.
Financial information
: 0.00 €
Financial sources: Funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change. PIMCA receives public funding as part of the Strategic Plan for Athens 2021
Background information
Territorial context: PIMCA aims to develop the integrated management of the Marine Front of Athens which is the sum of the coasts of Municipalities of Attika which are included in the Athens Metropolitan area. The Marine Front is: • A constituent element of the physiognomy of Athens / Attika • An irreplaceable environmental resource under threat • A privileged place for multiple activities and everyday outlets for the area residents, without intensive uses and through the stimulation of its public nature. • The Marine Front is part of Athens, which attracts the biggest number of tourists than any other place in the country, reporting e.g. the arrival of about 2.5 million tourists in 2012 (SETE, 2013). • The Marine Front is an area that faces common problems for Greek tourism, such as the fact that arrivals remain peaky, daily spending is modest by international standards and the same legacy destinations attract most of the demand. • Hotels in the Marine Front are in general internationally competitive.
Relation to policies and strategies: PIMCA is based on the following regulations: • Current Greek regulation with regards to landscape planning. • The new Strategic Plan for Athens 2021 • The Presidential Decree for the Coasts • Law N. 4426/2016 about integrated coastal management and climate change (187/A/2016).
Regulation framework: N/A
Specific information
Objectives: PIMCA’s key objectives of PIMCA are: • Opening up of the city towards the sea and assurance of the coasts‟ public nature, thereby making it more attractive & accessible to tourists. • Single and integrated planning and management for the entire coastal zone. • Removal of incompatible activities with the coast and its public nature, thereby delivering a sustainable model of tourism. • Regeneration schemes of bioclimatic nature for the upgrade of both the artificial and natural coastal Landscape.
Developers (and governance): PIMCA aims to develop a new governance model for the Marine Front of the Athens Metropolitan area, and aspires to involve national and regional public authorities, local municipalities and stakeholders in synergistic governance schemes capable of making multiple interventions in the development of the Marine Front. Within this context, PIMCA aims to capitalise upon the knowledge of all relevant research organisations and the experience derived from similar applications in Interreg projects.
Beneficiaries: PIMCA beneficiaries include the following: • Greek national, regional and local authorities will manage to build their capacity to participate in new intermunicipal, multilevel and synergistic governance schemes. • Local residents of the Marine Front will be able to enjoy its unique character through a number of new infrastructures (e.g. cycling routes). • Tourists will be further attracted by the Marine Front due to showcasing its unique character and developing new sea transport infrastructures
Innovation aspects: The innovative aspects of PIMCA are: • The innovative intermunicipal and synergistic schemes for the governance and development of the Marine Front of Athens. • The establishment of cycling routes which will contribute to rebranding Athens as a city that is friendly to cyclists. • The architectural interventions to the Marine Front which are expected to highlight its unique character and attract more tourists.
Actions: The main actions that take place during PIMCA’s implementation are: • Analysis of current condition of the Marine Front. • Identification of different spatial zones and their potential. • Reconding and evaluation of potential interventions • Development of a framework for ICZM • Establishment of free public spaces in the Marine Front • Establishment of free public beaches • Development of sea transport • Establishment of connections with the rest of Athens • Development of innovative multi-level governance schemes
Stakeholders involvement: As part of the Strategic Plan for Attika (SPA), PIMCA was developed after extensive public consultation with key stakeholders and the general public: • July 2011: Presentation of the strategic priorities of SPA 2021. Launching of the Public Consultation procedure. • September 2011: Forwarding of the SPA 2021 Law Draft and SEA to the Regional Council of Attika and subsequent posting at the website of the Organization for the Master Plan and the Environment of Athens. Start of the preparation of the Action Plan. • October 2011: Transfer to and approval of the proposals by the Regional Council of Attika. Promotion of predicted consultation procedures. • November 2011: Completion of public consultation. Finalization of the SPA 2021 Law. • December 2011: Submission of the SPA 2021 Law Draft and its Action Plan to the Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change – forwarding for final approval to the Greek Parliament.
Results achieved: PIMCA key results are: • Strengthening of Attika’s appeal in terms of tourist destination. Enhancement of the Marine Front as a constituent element of the cultural / economic profile of Athens seen as a Mediterranean Capital. • Enhancement of Attika Landscape as a major resource, of environmental and development nature. • Establishment of open public spaces and beaches in the Marine Front
Potential for learning and transfer
Challenges and obstacles: The key obstacle to the implementation of PIMCA was the fact that there was not one institution centrally responsible for the development of the Marine Front. On the contrary, the Region of Attika, alongside the Municipalities were used to a fragmentary governance model, unable to deliver efficient integrated development planning.
Success factors: The success of PIMCA so far was due to the overall awareness in the area of the need for interventions that will enhance access of the public to the Marine Front. In addition, a key success factor was the potential for touristic development due to the further integration of the Marine Front in the metropolitan area of Athens and the promotion of its unique character and natural heritage.
Transferability in COASTING project: COASTING can take advantage of PIMCA’s innovative approach to ICZM in urban coastal zones. More precisely, the synergistic and/or intermunicipal schemes for coastal governance can be applied in the coastal zone of partnership territories and contribute to the enhancement of the model of touristic development. Such innovative multi-level governance schemes with the participation of regional and local public authorities and stakeholders of the private sector could include elements that can be usefully integrated in the mainstreamed Bay contract. In addition, the architectural interventions and the development of infrastructures that showcase the unique character of the coastal zone of Attika could be further applied in partnership territories.