Adriatic-Ionian Region Research Articles

Using Smart Wearable Devices for Supporting Patients Affected by Dementia in Rural Areas of Calabria

The improvement of health and social care needs the introduction of shared solution at transnational level. The SI4CARE (Social Inno- vation for Integrated Health Care) project is a transnational initiative within the Adriatic-Ionian regions aiming to develop strategies to improve the current status of health and social care. The project member Municipality of Miglierina, a small rural town in Calabria, is developing a pilot action related to the use of wearable device for monitoring people affected by dementia together with the project partner Ra.Gi.. Ra.Gi. is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting people with dementia in day care centers and so-called dementia-friendly communities. The pilot is based on the use of smart wearable devices to monitor these patients during their daily lifetime. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of the system discussing the proposed application, the strengths and weaknesses. We report results from a pilot experiment showing the effectiveness of this approach. Finally, the possibility of extending the experiment to the other Adriatic-Ionian region is presented.

Natural hazard risk analysis in the framework of water safety plans.

The available literature on natural hazard risk analysis focused on the implementation of water safety plans (WSPs) is surprisingly quite poor, despite the significant increase in the number and severity of disasters and adverse effects on drinking water supply systems generated by natural hazards. At the same time, WSPs that conveniently account for natural hazards with a comprehensive approach 'from source to tap' are still scarce as they typically occur at larger spatial scales and adequate prevention, mitigation and adaptation require efficient inter-institutional collaborations. The aim of this paper is to highlight the main bottlenecks for water utilities to include natural hazards in the development of their WSPs. The research adopted a stakeholders-oriented approach, involving a considerable number of water utilities (168), water sectoral agencies (15) and institutions (68) across the Adriatic-Ionian Region through a stepwise process that generated joint SWOT analysis, the development of a decision support system (DSS) focused on WSPs procedures and tabletop exercises. The final outcomes generated strategic documents (REWAS - Adrion Road map for resilient water supply) that highlighted the necessity for efficient cross-sectoral and inter-institutional cooperation in the development of well-founded and robust WSPs to address natural hazard risk analysis for water supply systems (DWSS).

The Balkan vector of Italy's current foreign policy

The article analyses Italy's theoretical and practical approach to the Adriatic-Ionian region, viewed as part of the concept of the "enlarged Mediterranean" (Mediterraneo Allargato), a geopolitical space that extends far beyond the Mediterranean basin. The aim of the research is to determine the place of the Balkans in Italy's modern foreign policy strategy, analysing available policy documents as well as the practical actions of the current government under the leadership of Giorgia Meloni. Italian involvement in the Balkans in the 1990s gave way to a passive EU policy in the 2000s. However, at the beginning of this decade, in the absence of a visible EU interest in the region, Italy sought to restore a bilateral format of its relations with the Western Balkans, as shown by a new reflection on Rome's soft power potential to promote the so-called System Italy (Sistema Paese) undertaken by Italian research centres. Against the backdrop of Russia-Ukraine crisis, the EU interest in the Mediterranean has also flared up, which resulted in the adoption of the New Agenda for the Mediterranean as well as the EU Strategic Compass. Italy seeks to become a new protagonist in the Balkans, by acting together with EU partners (e.g. within the Andriatic-Ionian initiative) and by taking independent political and economic initiatives (e.g. by intensifying bilateral meetings and organising business forums). The recent exacerbation of the Balkan agenda, coupled with the centre-right government's desire for a general intensification of foreign policy and the search for additional markets and business partners among its closest neighbours, offer new opportunities for Italian diplomacy.

Intermodal Passenger Transport after COVID-19 Pandemic Breakout

The current paper is based on data collected within the framework of the Inter-Connect PLUS project, with a focus on incorporating new norms before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire was conducted in four countries of the Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) Region: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania. The collected data from the survey was analyzed to draw conclusions about the travel modes citizens used before, during, and are willing to use after the pandemic. The paper closes with recommendations, in the form of a Roadmap, highlighting the potential positive impact of the pandemic on the future of sustainable mobility.

Towards a strategy for the recovering of the Mediterranean monk seal in the Adriatic-Ionian Basin

Occasional but recurrent sightings indicate that the endangered Mediterranean monk seal is still present in most of its historical range within the Adriatic-Ionian region in the central Mediterranean Sea. However, in most of the adjacent countries, the species’ abundance and distribution are practically unknown. An actively reproducing sub-population with a minimum of 25 adult/sub-adult seals lives in the Greek central Ionian Sea. The latter can form a nucleus from which the entire Adriatic-Ionian Basin could be re-colonized if adequate conservation measures are implemented throughout the area and in a coordinated manner. We examine the historical presence in the region as a baseline for providing a benchmark for conservation. We further look into the species’ habitat availability, possibilities for a rapid population assessment and various parameters that are considered crucial for its conservation, such as the existence of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), corridors for connectivity purposes as well as needs for raising public awareness. We recommend a series of interlinked actions within the framework of a conservation strategy the implementation of which will ensure the conditions for maintaining ecologically, demographically, and genetically viable sub-populations of this species emblematic for the entire Mediterranean Sea. To achieve this goal, a coalition of partners from this area is required in order to adopt the strategy and jointly implement the measures required.

Sport Tourism as Driving Force for Destinations’ Sustainability

Sport tourism is a fast-growing segment of tourism offering new perspectives and supporting travelers’ behavior shift towards active living that is a boost for sustainable destinations. These interrelations between active living, active travelling, and sport tourism have a powerful environmental, economic, and social impact. Based on the recognized contribution of sport tourism in sustaining destinations, the current paper aims to (a) explore the state of sport tourism in the Adriatic–Ionian Region by identifying existing sport tourism initiatives, (b) analyze the current and future potentials of sport tourism in the area’s sustainable growth, and (c) draw policy recommendations for sport tourism development in the region with a view to support the wider vision of sustainability. The review of existing sport tourism cases, revealing an existing investment towards this tourism form, was followed by a qualitative survey of the area’s tourism stakeholders (Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia). Results reveal that sport tourism is estimated to help in building a unique identity closely linked to sustainability goals—the area represents a great natural and cultural beauty that can be emphasized by sport initiatives, while, once such efforts are incorporated in wider sustainability plans, the destinations’ profiles can be significantly upgraded.

Using Smart Devices for Monitoring Elderly Patients in Rural Areas of Calabria after COVID-19 Vaccination: Experiences within the SI4CARE Project

The SI4CARE project is a transnational project which aims to develop both strategy and action plans to improve health and social care in the Adriatic–Ionian region. Starting from a survey of the status quo, each partner has developed some pilots to support the development and monitoring of the policy actions. In particular, partner number three, the Municipality of Miglierina, designed and developed a pilot related to the use of wearable devices for monitoring elderly patients in rural areas. With the collaboration of the complex unity of primary care (UCCP) of the Reventino area, the pilot is based on the use of smart wearable devices to monitor some parameters of older adults after their vaccinations for flu and covid. This paper focused on the design and implementation of the system. It describes its application in the Municipality of Miglierina. Presentation of the results and a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses will be presented, in detail, in future work. Finally, the possibility of extending the experiment to other Adriatic–Ionian regions is addressed.

Tourism Innovation in the Adriatic-Ionian Region: Questioning the Understanding of Innovation

Today, tourism as the most important global service industry faces many challenges, which call for innovations. That includes product (new products and services), process (new ways of delivering tourist services), logistical (new ways of providing products/services to tourists), and market innovations (new marketing methods or market behaviour). To detect the number and types of tourism innovations funded by the EU in the Adriatic-Ionian region (AIR), a desk research approach and a survey was carried out between 2020 and 2022. The purpose of our work was to detect projects fostering innovations in sustainable tourism, analyse their innovation capacity and propose possible policy enhancements. The main research questions were: Firstly, are financial incentives appropriate measures to foster innovations? and secondly what is the role of governance models of the EUSAIR in fostering innovations in sustainable tourism? In total, 88 projects were detected fostering different types of innovations. The results demonstrate an uneven geographical distribution of financial incentives for innovative projects and underline the lack of a clear understanding of the concept of innovation in funded projects and in seconded national administration in the AIR. Additionally, our findings show that financial incentives, although welcome, do not always foster innovations. Rather, an effective governance should be in place to tailor the appropriate financial incentives and guide the process. Our work contributes to the development of new guidelines related to growth and innovation in sustainable tourism in the AIR.

A geoportal of data and tools for supporting Maritime Spatial Planning in the Adriatic-Ionian Region

The multiple anthropogenic threats to marine ecosystems and the increasing spatial conflicts in the Adriatic-Ionian Region (AIR) require transnational, integrated and efficient planning of coastal and marine spaces at macro-regional level. This research presents the Geoportal of the Adriatic-Ionian Region (GAIR), a common platform for information, data and decision support tools for ocean planning in the Adriatic-Ionian sea space. The GAIR is an open source platform; it supports co-production of MSP-relevant knowledge based on 12 databases, portals and tools developed within a set of European projects supporting the implementation of the European Strategy for the AIR (EUSAIR). The study presents the GAIR's software architecture, its technological stack and the seven integrated geospatial tools. A case study of the tool presents its user workflow and main outputs. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the GAIR with respect to MSP, Sustainable Blue Economy and the implementation of the EUSAIR Action Plan.

Invasive Alien Plant Species—Raising Awareness of a Threat to Biodiversity and Ecological Connectivity (EC) in the Adriatic-Ionian Region

Improving ecological connectivity (EC) within landscapes by establishing corridors and ecological networks has been proposed to counteract the negative effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change on biodiversity. To be functional, ecological networks should be kept free of opportunistic invasive species that can disrupt EC between protected areas and cause biodiversity loss. The present study focused on perennial herbaceous species whose occurrence in the Adriatic-Ionian region has increased in the last two decades, namely common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), Bohemian knotweed (Reynoutria × bohemica), giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea), Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), and Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae). All species have a high potential to spread in grasslands, abandoned agricultural fields, forest edges, and riparian areas and pose a significant threat to native plant communities and biodiversity. Restoring heavily infested sites is a major challenge because these perennial invaders are very persistent and tend to alter the soil environment in invaded habitats and prevent the recolonization of native plant communities. Therefore, early action should be taken to prevent the spread of these environmental weeds in ecological networks and protected areas with high conservation value.

Innovation and Knowledge Exchange in Small-Scale Fishery and Aquaculture Sectors: Innovation Brokerage to Shape New Marketing Strategies and Practices

Participatory approaches can play a pivotal role in the fishery sector to stimulate innovation and knowledge exchange among stakeholders and orientation of policy decision making. Starting from these premises, this paper presents a multiple case study based on a EU funded project (namely, ARIEL project, under the egis of the INTERREG VB ADRION Programme 2014–2020) and aimed at promoting technological and non-technological solutions for innovation of small–scale fisheries and aquaculture in some countries of the Adriatic-Ionian Region. Some innovation brokerage events were organized in the first month of 2019, to boost a dialogue between regional stakeholders involved in the fishery sector. This research provides the content analysis of the outcome of the events in order to identify national peculiarities and transnational common points. Implications for marketing strategies and practices are then summarized.

Challenges in Harmonized Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas

The Adriatic-Ionian region (ADRION Region) shows strong development in terms of urban expansion in coastal and inland areas as well as increasing maritime traffic and offshore hydrocarbon extraction activities. A serious risk of pollution arises from hazardous substances requiring reliable and coherent monitoring and assessment programmes. EU Directives (WFD - Water Framework Directive, MSFD - Marine Strategy Framework Directive) and Barcelona Convention protocols, aim to assess the level of pollution with the objective to implement measures to prevent and/or mitigate impacts on the marine environment. This high level integration process has to be based on common and agreed protocols for monitoring of contaminants. Aiming to share best practices to encourage a harmonized implementation of monitoring and assessment of contaminants, an extensive review of monitoring and analytical protocols adopted by six EU and non-EU countries along the Adriatic and Ionian seas was carried out in the framework of the Interreg Adrion project HarmoNIA. This paper presents a methodological proposal to define a common protocol for the evaluation of the metal contamination of seawater, sediment and biota. Contaminants have been chosen following preliminary consultations among countries of the ADRION area, considering objectives of WFD and MSFD, as well as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures for offshore platforms. Information was gathered relative to matrix characteristics and quality assurance/quality control of the analytical performance (sample preservation, analytical methodology, reference materials, limit of detection and limit of quantification, accuracy, reproducibility, etc.). The comparison of information provided by laboratories of nine institutions highlighted the request for harmonization in terms of sampling procedures, matrix characterization, preservation procedures, analytical methods and LOQ values. Although appropriate environmental quality standards for biota and sediment matrices should be established at national level and also through regional and sub-regional cooperation, as required by the WFD and MSFD, the proposed LOQ values, even if challenging, represent a benchmark and a stimulus to optimize analytical performance, to ensure the best level of protection to the coastal and offshore environment in the ADRION Region.

Challenges in Harmonized Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Monitoring and Decommissioning Procedures of Offshore Platforms in Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) Region

A harmonized and integrated approach for monitoring and assessment of contamination, including hydrocarbon exploitation one, is required both by Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) at EU level and by the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) program of the Barcelona Convention at Mediterranean level. A broad review of protocols of environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures, monitoring and decommissioning of offshore platforms adopted by EU and non-EU countries along the Adriatic-Ionian seas was carried out in the framework of the Interreg offshore platforms in Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) project HarmoNIA (Harmonization and networking for contaminant assessment in the Ionian and Adriatic Seas). The comparison of information provided by six ADRION countries and the application of a harmonized and integrated approach has highlighted specific challenges for managing offshore platform impacts emerged at ADRION level: (i) need of the same legislative level (the Offshore Protocol of Barcelona Convention is not ratified by all countries); (ii) set up of a task force of ADRION experts for discussing critical issues related to impacts of offshore platforms; (iii) harmonization, at the regional level, of EIA procedures, monitoring and decommissioning; (iv) need of an agreed and common list of recommended parameters to monitor in water, sediment and biota for the assessment of impacts due to platform installations and PFW discharges.

Integrated approach for the identification of spatial patterns related to renewable energy potential in European territories

The study presents an effort to classify the territories of a specific area, according to similarities in the estimated potential of their renewable sources, considering also their economic and sociodemographic structure and their geographic features. Specifically, the paper focuses on the area of EU28 and Switzerland and uses as basis for the analysis, data estimating the potential of renewable energy sources collected and elaborated in the framework of the project HotMaps (Horizon 2020). The method used to group the territorial units is cluster analysis, and specifically the k-means algorithm. The data present some interesting patterns and the territories of EU28 and Switzerland at NUTS3 level are classified into 17 clusters. The analysis shows the presence of heterogeneity within national borders and among territories comprised in the macro regions target of specific EU programmes, specifically the Adriatic-Ionian region, the Alpine region, the Baltic Sea region and the Danube region. The results of this research are meant to be used by European policy makers in developing more focused transnational renewable energy policies and strategies.

Revealing the potential of maritime transport for ‘Blue Economy’ in the Adriatic-Ionian Region

Maritime transport is amongst the most important drivers of change in the state of coastal and marine environment of the Mediterranean Sea. Recent studies on Maritime Spatial Planning and Blue Growth and economy reveal the significance of maritime transport both in socioeconomic and environmental terms. The objective of the present paper is to estimate the importance of maritime transport for the economy, society and environment of the region and assess the legal and policy framework under which maritime transport is developed and regulated. The analysis focuses on the Adriatic-Ionian Region (AIR). The paper builds upon existing policy and value estimation methodologies in order to develop an integrated assessment tool which can lead to a comparative evaluation of maritime transport against other drivers of the region. The effectiveness of the policy and legal framework in addressing the needs of maritime transport is then analyzed and assessed through the use of specific indicators. The integrated socio-economic and environmental analysis revealed that maritime transport is the second most important factor of change in the AIR following coastal and maritime tourism. Additionally, the analysis of the legal and policy framework led to the conclusion that a more effective integration of planning and strategic documents should be achieved. Maritime transport has often been addressed by important policy initiatives such as the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and the Barcelona Convention for the protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal region of the Mediterranean. The results of the present paper constitute a useful input for the broader European initiative to reveal maritime potential and establish a development framework of the so called “Blue Economy”.

Crvena Stijena revisited: The Late Mousterian assemblages

Crvena Stijena represents one of the key Middle Paleolithic sites in southeastern Europe. In the course of earlier investigations, the upper part of the Mousterian sequence was excavated on two occasions: in 1956 and 1958 by M. Brodar and from 1961 to 1964 by Đ. Basler. Materials from these campaigns were published separately and interpreted differently. After re-analysis of all these materials, it has been established that the artifact assemblages can not be directly assigned to any of the traditional facies (Denticulate Mousterian, Micromousterian, etc.), but rather to an undifferentiated (non-Levallois) facies of Typical Mousterian, which is characterized by pronounced expedient technology based on the exploitation of local raw materials and the application of ad hoc methods of core reduction and the preparation of tools. This re-analysis pointed out especially that in the final Mousterian at Crvena Stijena, as at several other sites in the Adriatic-Ionian region, blade/bladelet technology and Uluzzian elements (flaking of blades and bladelets from unipolar or bipolar cores on flakes, splintered pieces, backed tools) are present. This seems to indicate continuity and connection among cultural phenomena over the entire Adriatic-Ionian region during MIS3 and suggests the possibility that the Uluzzian might have spread from the southern Balkans towards Italy along the southern rim of the “Great Adriatic Plain,” all of which could have belonged to a single “social territory.”

OILANDSCAPES / Coupling ecological and social dimensions with oil infrastructures in Adriatic-Ionian region

The aim of the paper is to explore the potential of oil industry landscapes if ‘coupled’ with new socio-ecologic realms, for the definition of a innovative local development processes. It will lead the reader in understanding, firstly, the conceptual transition from previous ‘oil infrastructures’ to ‘oil meshes’, necessary to set the analytical and designing scale of our proposed OILANDSCAPES. Starting from the assumption that ‘oil infrastructures’ have always played an important role in the definition of the stratified territorial morphology and that can be considered as cultural heritage because of their socio-cultural values, in the first part the paper focuses on the definition of three kinds of oil landscapes: upstream, midstream and downstream landscapes. Then, it leads the reader’s attention on ‘oil infrastructures’ concept which is tightly related to an engineering approach in territorial planning. In the second part, the paper wants to introduce the suggested transition from ‘oil infrastructures’ to ‘oil meshes’ concept, supporting the idea that these three kinds of landscape have to be studied as a unique realm, so enlarging our point of view towards the territorial scale. After, the paper introduces the two current issues which are differently affecting oil industry on the Western coasts of Adrion region and on the Eastern ones: the crisis of the downstream sector in the first case, and the increasing in exploration and production oil activities in the second one. The effects of these local and regional dynamics will influence the territorial ‘oil meshes’ in their entirety. Therefore, ‘oil meshes’ are questioned to be responsive to a de-engineering reconversion process in one case and to be sensitive to innovative planning tools in the other one. In the third part, two case studies, representative of the opposite outlined current trends, are identified thanks to their concentration of oil infrastructures: the South-Eastern Sicilian oil district (Gela-Ragusa- Syracuse) in Italy and the Myzeqe plain oil district (Fier-Patos-Marinza-Ballsh-Kucova) in Albania.

Kružna putovanja u Jadransko-jonskoj regiji i njihov potencijal

Continuing – and constant - growth in world maritime traffic, and the increasing number of cruise ships in the Adriatic-Ionian region, was the motive for this study. Maritime passenger transport represents important part of tourism. This paper deals with maritime passenger transport, more specifically, maritime cruise traffic. Based on the data gathered through the EA SEA-WAY project, we have prepared an overview of the state of cruise ship traffic in the Adriatic-Ionian region, identified key passenger ports holding the largest traffic shares and indicated a possible development scenario of the cruise traffic within the region.

Development possibilities for ferry transport in Adriatic-Ionian region

Adriatic and Ionian Sea form a body of water that connects seven countries of the South East Europe. This area was always used as a transport route, and ferry traffic boomed in the 1990s. However, in the last decade we have been witnessing a continuous decline of ferry traffic in most of the Adriatic-Ionian ports. In this paper we provide a description of the current situation on ferry transport in Adriatic-Ionian region with the focus on passenger flows. We determine trends and assess the potential for the extended use offerry shipping in the region.

Perché parlare oggi di sicurezza nella regione Adriatico-Ionica?

The paper emphasize the relevance of the Adriatic-Ionian Region in the present European scenario. It is stressed the need of specific policies, able to contrast the tendency to reduce the mobility and migration present trends by the securitization (and/or militarization) of all dynamics in the field. It’s showed that reassure could be achieved using different ways, for instance using economic models linked to the cooperation between the touristic/food industry and the industrial sector. For doing that it’s needed to re-engineering the professional community involved and the perception of the sea as a territory, bearer of its own cultures and specificity.