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The University of Montenegro - Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor, through its Center for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, will be a partner institution in the project “Joint Approach to Blue Circular Economy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region” (JOINABLE).
The JOINABLE project addresses the issue of marine litter, which poses a significant ecological and socio-economic challenge for the Adriatic-Ionian region. This waste negatively impacts marine ecosystems, damages sources of income, and represents a financial burden for businesses and institutions. Moreover, marine litter diminishes the economic and social value of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, particularly affecting fisheries and tourism revenues. To tackle these challenges, JOINABLE aims to provide responses and joint solutions for the preparation, implementation, and management of key scientific, institutional, and technical/technological resources for the blue circular economy. The project places special emphasis on the sustainable treatment of marine and river waste, as well as hard-to-recycle plastics, including fiberglass from end-of-life ships.
The main activities of the Faculty include:
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Conducting a detailed analysis of existing legal and policy frameworks in Montenegro to identify gaps and barriers to engagement in the blue circular economy;
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Identifying and presenting innovative solutions developed by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that support the blue circular economy;
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Collaborating with partner organizations to contribute to the development of a comprehensive joint action plan for the blue circular economy;
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Implementing awareness campaigns, workshops, and educational initiatives to promote understanding and engagement in sustainable practices;
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Actively participating in the formulation and demonstration of sustainable circular economy models that convert marine and freshwater waste into valuable products;
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Cooperating with SMEs to develop business plans that strengthen the blue circular economy value chain and support their integration into sustainable practices;
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Actively engaging in the Smart Cities Network program related to plastics, contributing to the mission of ocean and water restoration by 2030.
The coordinator of the JOINABLE project is the Municipality of Punat, Croatia. Besides the University of Montenegro - Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor, project partners include Sensum d.o.o. (Croatia), Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (Italy), Agency for Innovation in Agri-Food and Fisheries Sector (Italy), Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (Greece), Environmental and Territorial Management Institute (Albania), Municipality of Divjake (Albania), and Prime Blue ESG Institute (North Macedonia). The Chamber of Economy of Montenegro is an associated partner in the project.
The planned activities will be carried out over a 36-month period, with a total project budget of €1.5 million.
The project is co-financed by the European Commission under the first call of the Interreg IPA Adrion 2021-2027 Transnational Cooperation Programme, Priority 2 (Supporting a smarter Adriatic-Ionian region), and specific objective SO 2.2 (Promoting the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy).