L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS towns reach certified status. During this time, a notice- able improvement in overall l i v a b i l i t y h a s b e e n d o c u - m e n t e d , e v e n a s t o u r i s t numbers – and the pressure they bring – increased. Sec- o n d , t h e 2 0 2 5 r a n k i n g s i n t r o d u c e d a m a j o r n e w requirement: every munici- pality pursuing Blue Flag status must now submit an Action Plan, a structured three-year sustainability r o a d m a p . T h i s s h i f t t o m e d i u m - t e r m p l a n n i n g marks a real change in mind- s e t . M e a s u r e s a i m e d a t addressing global warming and climate change, as out- lined by the European Union and the 2030 Agenda, are no l o n g e r v i e w e d a s o n e - o f f e f f o r t s b u t a s l o n g - t e r m commitments. FEE Italia has explicitly embraced the chal- lenge of climate adaptation, p r o m p t i n g l o c a l g o v e r n - ments to rethink their strate- gies in order to maximize their impact on sustainabili- ty. For the new triennium, f i v e c o r e o b j e c t i v e s h a v e been identified: sustainable mobility; sustainable cities a n d c o m m u n i t i e s ; l i f e o n land; life below water; and a c t i o n a g a i n s t c l i m a t e change. And that's not all. T h e B l u e F l a g i s a w a r d e d based on 32 criteria, ranging from fully equipped, multi- comfort beaches with trained lifeguards and accessibility features that eliminate archi- tectural barriers, to environ- mental education programs, healthcare services, tourist information points, decen- tralized parking, and shuttle buses. These criteria are reg- ularly updated to encourage participating municipalities t o c o n t i n u o u s l y i m p r o v e , tackle existing challenges, a n d a d a p t t o t h e g r o w i n g demands of both beachgoers and residents alike. If excellent bathing water quality is a non-negotiable requirement – only locations that achieved top water rat- ings in the previous season are eligible to apply – and if o n l y m u n i c i p a l i t i e s w i t h wastewater treatment sys- t e m s f e a t u r i n g s e c o n d a r y treatment (and at least 80% of households connected to sewage networks) can move f o r w a r d i n t h e s e l e c t i o n process, then it's clear that the focus of the Blue Flag programme is not just the beach, but the broader liv- ability of the area. The goal is to ensure that the territo- ry remains healthy and wel- coming all year round—for residents as much as for hol- iday makers. " W e ' v e r e c o r d e d a n increase in the number of municipalities awarded the B l u e F l a g t h i s y e a r : 2 4 6 , including 15 new entries," said Claudio Mazza, presi- dent of FEE Italia. "But in 2025, we also asked local administrations to submit a Sustainability Action Plan detailing their completed and planned initiatives for the 2025–2027 period. This document will accompany each municipality along its Blue Flag journey, helping local governments keep a unified vision of what steps need to be taken and stay committed to continuous i m p r o v e m e n t . T h e r e s u l t has been serious, structured planning – region by region, town by town. At the heart o f t h e p l a n , a s w i t h t h e entire Blue Flag process, is the community itself. The objective is to respond to global environmental chal- lenges by strengthening local e f f o r t s i n e n v i r o n m e n t a l protection, climate action, and overall quality of life, for both citizens and tourists." Receiving the Blue Flag, Mazza explained, should be seen as "an award for the entire local community, a recognition of a collective effort in protecting the envi- ronment, addressing climate change, and improving ser- vices and quality of life. It's about making small, con- crete steps that build into l o n g - l a s t i n g , m e a n i n g f u l change through continuous progress. The strategic key to this process," he added, "is sustainability education, starting in schools. Today's s t u d e n t s a r e t o m o r r o w ' s p r o f e s s i o n a l s , a n d t h e i r future choices will depend on the values, knowledge, a n d s k i l l s w e p a s s o n t o them now. Young people are the true engines of sustain- ability. And this educational mission is at the core of all FEE Italia programmes. The sea is a multifaceted value: economic, environmental, scientific, social, and cultur- al. It's at the heart of Italy's s u s t a i n a b l e d e v e l o p m e n t efforts." This time of year brings a flood of rankings, of course. For example, The World's 50 B e s t B e a c h e s 2 0 2 5 h a s placed Italy at the top, with Cala Goloritzé in Sardinia r a n k e d n u m b e r o n e ( u p from 19th place last year) and the iconic La Pelosa in Stintino – also in Sardinia – coming in at 50th. It's grati- f y i n g t o c o m p e t e w i t h o r even outshine the Maldives, Seychelles, UAE, Caribbean i s l a n d s , a n d G r e e c e . B u t there's a difference between judging beauty and exclusiv- ity – often the realm of blog- gers, influencers, and globe- t r o t t e r s – a n d e v a l u a t i n g environmental parameters. While lifestyle magazines m a y c h o o s e t h e " c o o l e s t " beach of summer 2025, the healthiest and most ecologi- cally balanced one – for us and for nature – carries a very different, and arguably more important, weight. The Blue Flag isn't just a mark of prestige, it also drives positive economic impact and encourages municipalities to adopt long-term sustainability strategies — helping to safe- guard both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Alassio is one of the 33 towns along the Italian Riviera to have obtained a Blue Flag this year (Photo: Xantana/Dreamstime) Beautiful Gaeta, in Lazio, obtained another Blue Flag this year. The region was awarded a total of 11 (Photo: Xantana/Dreamstime)

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