“The Atlas of Greek Islands: a tool for planning for Blue Growth in small

islands using the Integrated Spatial Investments”

Ioannis Spilanis, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Studies

ESIN (European Small Islands’ Network) Conference

Kastelorizo, 23-09-15

University of the AegeanLaboratory for Local and Insular Development

The Atlas of Greek Islands (1)

Why ?

-The program of the Ministry of Education for the reinforcement of Universities on Island Archipelagos (Aegean, Ionion)

- The support to the University of the Aegean to become a pole of excellence on islands research and studies

- The need for compiled information –mainly based on quantitative data- in order to sustain education, research and planning on islands

- The need to outreach two main weaknesses of the greek statistical system:

- sectorial approach- administrative approach (islands don’t exits as units)

The Atlas of Greek Islands (2)

80 inhabited islands (out of 114) independently if they are NUTS 2 (Crete), NUTS 3 (Zakynthos), LAU 1 (Communities - Kastelorizo), LAU 2 (ex-communities - Koufonisi)*. Island regions (NUTS2) and island departments (NUTS3)

Data base, with compilation of data on all the main topics of economy, society and environment collected and validated from the Greek statistic Authority (census, surveys, administrative acts …) but also from EUROSTAT and ESPON

Different thematic maps* using row data, indicators and modern cartography as the Atlas of ESPON

Analysis of the information compiled using the EUROSTAT REGIO Yearbook approach

What? The content of the Atlas

The Atlas of Greek Islands (3)

Why Atlas is important ?

For islands in general as there are not differentiated in policy maters from the mainland even if it is generally accepted that they are territories with specific features

For archipelagos in order to reveal intra-regional disparities between “big” and “small” islands, “developed” and “un-developed” ones

For coastal islands that are “unknown” and rarely taken into account in the development planning of the mainland regions they belong to.

Planning for Blue Growth is small islands (1)

The outcomes from EUROISLANDS ESPON project Islands are less developed and more fragile/vulnerable

territories compared to the european mainland Islands are less attractive for people and enterprises as the

cost of operating on an island is higher than on mainland due to islands’ specificities (smallness, isolation, fragility) and delays to crucial domains (education, innovation, connectivity, ICT, job and carrier opportunities, social and cultural life, governance)

Archipelagos and small islands are more vulnerable and less attractive

Natural and cultural capital is an asset that has to be exploited within a quality of life approach different than in the big cities based on islandness features

Planning for Blue Growth is small islands (2)

The outcomes from EUROISLANDS ESPON project EUROPE 2020 strategy has to be adapt for Islands to: “quality islands” with products and services of upper quality and value

added incorporating local tangible and intangible resources vs low cost strategies

“green islands” with a better use and reuse of rare resources + mitigation to climate changes vs high resource consumption

“equal opportunities islands” giving to insular population and enterprises the opportunities to succeed with high quality general interest services

“Blue Growth” gives to islands, mainly to the smaller ones that have more marine than terrestrial resources but also threats coming for the sea, new sustainable opportunities out of 3S tourism and real estate projects at least on 3 domains based on the islands:

Fishing and aquaculture

Costal and marine tourism

Renewable energy

that can be linked with the other activities

Planning for Blue Growth is small islands (3)

Within the new European Structural Policy there is a new useful tool for this type of integrated territorial development: the Integrated Territorial Investment .

Possibilities

- infra and/or inter-regional coverage

- use of all the Funds.

Conditions:- Specific territories with problems- Integrated strategy and plan with specific goals fitting on the national thematic

goals- Governance system (institution for strategy elaboration + (inter)regional

coordination body)

Within the Greek program 2014-20 the only proposal that is officially included concerns islands

There is need for political will in order to be activate

Thank you for your attention

Acknowledgement

This work is supported by the project: The Integrated Programme for Insularity Research (IPIR) of the programme 'The University of the Aegean, the prominent and driving factor for the economic and social growth of the wide Aegean area' of the Operational Programme 'Education and Lifelong Learning', which is co-funded by European Union ('European Social Fund') and National Resources.

E-mail: ispil@aegean.gr

Map of the Greek islands At least of LAU2*

Population change1951-2011

Tourism beds (hotels, camping, rooms to let)

Total annual arrivals to islands (by air and by ship)

Total arrivals/inhabitants*