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Project Final Results. Project Profile. Start January 2009 – March 2011 Participating Regions: Ionian Islands Region ( IonR ) – Greece Valencia Region (Spain) e-Participation Call for Proposals 2008 Informational website URL: www.uatmarenostrum.eu. Consortium Partners. GFI Benelux
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Project Profile Start January 2009 – March 2011 Participating Regions: Ionian Islands Region (IonR) – Greece Valencia Region (Spain) e-Participation Call for Proposals 2008 Informational website URL: www.uatmarenostrum.eu
Consortium Partners GFI Benelux Government to you (Gov2u) Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) The Fundación Comunidad Valenciana – Región Europea (FCVRE) The Directorate General for Modernization (DGM) The Region of the Ionian Islands (IonR)
The U@MARENOSTRUM project: aimed to facilitate the development of an online dialogue between citizens and official representatives of the participating regions (Ionian Islands Region in Greece and the Valencia Region in Spain) on issues regarding water protection and management in the Mediterranean. The main objective of U@MARENOSTRUM was to contribute in the enhancement of citizens’ engagement with the political process via their active participation in the online dialogue.
U@MARENOSTRUM platforms The project involved two collaborative platforms one for each participating region. Platforms URL: Greek – http://www.uatmarenostrumionianislands.gr Spanish – http://marenostrum.gva.es/
About the project The deliverable is an open-source software solution and methodology to help local decision-makers to improve the quality, legitimacy and transparency of their policies in the eyes of the citizens; The online tools provided by the U@MARENOSTRUM platforms are: the forum, the interactive map (GIS), ePetitions, eSurveysand Letters to Officials.
The project aimed: to engage citizens and local actors (community groups, associations etc.) from the Mediterranean costal zones in decision-making processes for the adoption and implementation of water and marine environmental protection in the Mediterranean region with the help of ICT and GIS; to advance the idea and use of eParticipation in environmental decision making by empowering citizens and local associations to use the state-of-the-art infrastructure in order to debate and engage in the implementation of EU environmental legislation;
Efforts were fostered as for citizen-users : to be involved in decision-making with the help of ICT overcoming geographical barriers; to be able to address key issues on water, giving their opinion to the public authorities and learn more about water related issues, the specific policy field and decision-making process in general; to become familiar and involved in the functioning of democratic processes and monitor the implementation of the EU environmental law on water management and protection in their regions.
eParticipation results: The online discussion between citizens and public authorities of the participating regions was initiated with the launch of the platforms. The Greek platform hosted by Ionian Islands Region was launched on January 2010 The Spanish platform hosted by the Valencia Region and launched on April 2010.
With the end of the project in March 2011 the U@MARENOSTRUM final eParticipation results are encouraging and indicate that: On both platforms 1883 registered usershave participated in the Forum with 1313 posted arguments, on 120 environmental topicsconnected to 21 Public Consultations regarding water protection and management in the Mediterranean. Registered users participated in the platform with 228 markersoverall on the interactive maps, 1005 electronic signaturesoverall on the 3ePetitionshosted on the platforms, 619 answersoverall in 6 online surveys, while 22 Electronic Lettershave been sent to Officials of Ionian Islands Region by citizen-users.
Suggestion for better implementation of ICT fostering Environmental Democracy More intensive citizens’ awareness raising regarding environmental issues Wider dissemination of environmental information Better access to environmental information Better ICT literacy for public administrators Development of fast, independent and low-cost mechanisms for answering citizens needs