Rome Sardinia obtains fifteen Blue Flags like last year. The following beaches were awarded: Castelsardo – Sacred Heart / Ampurias, Madonnina / Stella Maris, Ex Palazzo Americani, Sip – Marina beach, Marina di Sorso (fourth and fifth comb), Marina di Sorso (seventh comb), Sassari – Porto Ferro, Porto Palmas, Platamona Rotonda, Saint Teresa Gallura – Rena Ponente (Loc. Capo Testa), Rena Bianca, Rena di Levante-Zia Culumba (Loc. Capo Testa), La Taltana – Santa Reparata, Conca Verde, La Marmorata, Aglientu – Vignola Mare, Rena Majore, Lu Chiscinagghju, Trinità d’Agultu and Vignola – La Marinedda, Cala Sarraina, Lunga Isola Rossa, Badesi – Li Junchi, Li Mindi, Baia delle Mimose-Pirottu Li Frati, Lu Poltu Biancu, The Magdalene – Bassa Trinità, Carlotto/Nido d’Aquila, Cala Garibaldi/Due mari / Relitto (Island of Caprera), Spiaggia del pesca (Island of Santo Stefano), Lo Strangolato, Monte d’a Rena, Porto Lungo, Spalmatore, Tegge, Palau – Palau Vecchio, Isolotto, Budoni – Budoni Bay, Oristano – Torregrande, Tortoli – Lido di Cea, Lido di Orrì (I and II Beach), Muxì (Il Golfetto), Orrì Foxilioni, Ponente (known as “La Capannina”), Porto Frailis, San Gemiliano; The swimming pools, Bari Sardo – Bucca ‘e Strumpu/Torre di Barì/Sa Marina, Cea, Quartu Sant’Elena – Pintau Sea; Poetto, Sant’Antioco – Maladroxia/Coacuaddus.
The following landings were also awarded: Port of Saint Teresa GalluraCala Gavetta (La Maddalena), Marina dell’Orso di Poltu Quatu (Arzachena), Marina of Porto Cervo (Arzachena), Marina di Portisco (Olbia), Tourist Port of CastelsardoMarina di Baunei and Santa Maria Navarrese, Marina di Capitana (Quartu Sant’Elena).
The blue flags The 2024 Blue Flags were assigned by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to coastal municipalities and tourist ports and announced this morning, Tuesday 14th, in the presence of the mayors, during the awards ceremony held in Rome at the CNR headquarters, for the thirty-eighth edition. The Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies Nello Musumeci spoke. In the evaluation phase carried out by the Commission according to a rigid procedural scheme, various institutional bodies including the Ministry of Tourism gave their contribution; the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry; the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security; the Istituto Superiore di Sanità; the Orders of Chemists and Physicists; the National Research Council; universities such as the University of Tuscia – Laboratory of Marine Ecology and the University for Foreigners of Perugia; as well as private bodies such as the Seaside Unions (SIB-Confcommercio – FIBA - Confesercenti).
The subsequent approval by the international jury led to the achievement of the final result.
236 coastal locations and 81 tourist ports will be able to boast, in this thirty-eighth edition, the 2024 Blue Flag recognition.
236 Italian municipalities, for a total of 485 beaches, correspond to approximately 11.5% of the beaches awarded worldwide.
During the event, awards were given to those locations whose bathing waters have been found to be excellent in the last 4 years, as established by the results of the analyzes that, over the last four years, the ARPA (Regional Agencies for Environmental Protection) have carried out. carried out as part of the National Monitoring Programme, conducted by the Ministry of Health.
The Municipalities were able to present these results directly, as there is full correspondence between what was requested by the FEE and what was carried out by the ARPA, in terms of number of samplings and microbiological indicators measured.
The 32 criteria of the Program are updated periodically in order to push the participating local administrations to commit to solving, and improving over time, the problems relating to land management in order to carefully safeguard the environment.
Great importance is given to the management of the territory implemented by the municipal administrations. Among the indicators considered are: the existence and degree of functionality of purification plants; the percentage of sewer connections; waste management; accessibility; the safety of swimmers; the care of street furniture and beaches; sustainable mobility; environmental education; the valorisation of naturalistic areas; the initiatives promoted by the Administrations for better liveability in the summer period. Furthermore, we must not forget the awareness-raising action undertaken so that the Municipalities carry out a process of certification of their institutional activities and the tourist facilities that exist in their territory.
«This year too we are seeing an increase in the number of municipalities that have obtained the Blue Flag recognition, 236 with 14 new entries – he declared Claudio Mazza, president of the FEE Italia Foundation -. The number is increasing, but above all the sensitivity and awareness of citizens, who deserve the credit for this recognition, is growing. Every Blue Flag Administration knows well that virtuous management of the territory also necessarily involves the training and involvement of individuals, schools, associations, local activities and all operators. What the Blue Flag program has embodied for almost 40 years is a new vision of the sea, understood not, or in any case not only, as a natural asset simply synonymous with holiday, but as a starting point for a broader strategy, which involves all sectors of the territory concerned. But to make all the Italian coasts more attractive for tourism, measures are also necessary on a structural level, which incentivize a real improvement in terms of sustainability and therefore competitiveness of the coastal territories, starting precisely from the purification sector, which is still highly inadequate”.
The Blue Flag – Fisheries and Environment project developed in recent years with the collaboration of the Directorate General of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry has succeeded with excellent results in raising awareness in the fishing world of environmental issues and the valorisation of local traditions linked to it.
The 81 award-winning landing places demonstrate that the tourist port has consolidated the sustainability choices undertaken, meeting the requirements for the international award, guaranteeing the quality and quantity of the services provided in full environmental compatibility.
Analyzing the results obtained in this edition, we note a growth trend in Blue Flag locations compared to the previous year.
There are 236 Municipalities that have obtained recognition, 10 more than the 226 last year: 14 are new entries, 4 are unconfirmed Municipalities.
In particular, Liguria marks 2 new entries but loses two Flags, thus confirming 34 locations; Puglia rises to 24 recognitions with 3 new Municipalities and one exit. Campania and Calabria follow with 20 Flags, both of which obtain an additional recognition. With a new entry, the Marche region receives 19 Blue Flags, while Tuscany loses a Municipality to 18. There Sardinia confirms his 15 locations, Abruzzo also rises to 15 with a new entry, Sicily reaches 14 Flags with three new entries, Trentino Alto Adige rises to 12 with two more Municipalities, Lazio remains at 10. Emilia Romagna sees 9 locations awarded and the 9 Flags of Veneto are reconfirmed. Basilicata confirms its 5 localities, and there are also 5 Municipalities in Piedmont that obtain the Flags. Lombardy confirms 3 Municipalities, Friuli Venezia Giulia maintains the 2 Flags of the previous year, like Molise which remains at 2.
Overall, this year there are 23 Blue Flags on the lakes, with 2 new entries.
Let us remember what the imperative and guiding criteria are for the assignment of the Blue Flag: absolute validity of bathing water according to more restrictive rules than those provided for by national legislation on bathing (only those classified as “excellent” in the last four years); regular water sampling carried out during the summer season. These criteria are imperative and only if respected can you access subsequent assessments; efficiency of waste water purification and the connected sewerage network of at least 80% throughout the municipal territory; separate waste collection, correct management of hazardous waste; vast pedestrian areas, cycle paths, well-kept street furniture, green areas; beaches equipped with all services and lifeguard personnel, accessibility for all (removal of architectural barriers); large space dedicated to environmental education courses, aimed in particular at schools and young people, tourists and residents; dissemination of information on Blue Flag, publication of data on bathing water; hotel facilities, public health services, tourist information, updated signage; environmental certification and/or procedures of institutional activities and tourist facilities present in the municipal area; presence of fishing activities well integrated into the context of the seaside location.
