Key Points Emerging from the Conference in Cagliari on Strategies for Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean

14/11/2005 -
The international conference which was held at the “T Hotel” in Cagliari on Monday the 14th and Tuesday 15th November, provided an occasion for the examination of the role that European regional governments can undertake regarding the environment and sustainable development in the public and private sectors. At the same time it provided a platform to encourage partnerships between the Italian regions and countries in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. This international conference “Environment, Innovation, Competition – Winning Strategies for Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean” was organized by the Region of Sardinia with the backing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the project “Italia Internazionale” and Formez.
Round tables took place on specific topics which encouraged new ideas to emerge amongst those present, which in turn pinpointed priority actions as well as individuals to be co-opted and eventual financing resources for developing these joint initiatives. The first arguments still dealt with were the preservation and optimization of natural and cultural resources, management of environment services and those of public utilities and finally the innovative technologies for sustainable development which led to the identification of possible interventions like the utilization of an integrated industrial area with regard to water resources in the Chaouia Ouardugha region in Morocco.
Other ideas examined in the field of eco-tourism were technologies of traditional construction, use of pastoral land, solutions for territorial aridity and the heritage of experiences in sustainable development. The importance of information exchange was also emphasised on technologies which demonstrate or promote projects aimed at solving specific problems while creating consensus from the local population about such initiatives.
In conclusion, Carlo Maria Oliva, Vice Director General for the Direction of European Integration (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) said that, “Priorities connected to the environment and sustainable development are feasible only through methods of multi-level co-operation where regions and countries collaborate in a system proposal or an Italian proposal for the Mediterranean”.
In the ambit of this Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Regions initiative, the Region of Sicily will organize an international conference on Networking and Interconnection in February 2006.