2025hosts
THE PILOT PLATFORM FOR SUSTAINABLE MEDITERRANEAN SMALL ISLAND COMMUNITIES
A joint initiative of BlueMissionMed, SMILO and Chimica Verde Bionet
Capraia island 20-22 May 2025
Capraia Smart Island 2025 will host the Pilot Platform for Sustainable Mediterranean Small Island Communities, a joint initiative by Chimica Verde Bionet, SMILO, and BlueMissionMed. This event brings together key players to explore and scale innovative solutions that strenghen the resilience and sustainability of small Mediterranean islands.These islands are at the front lines of climate change,facing several threats like coastal erosion, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events. At the same time, their unique character and vulnerability make them ideal testing grounds for pioneering sustainability strategies. The Pilot Platform Initiative will showcase successful pilot projects, highlight community-driven approaches, and create opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration between local authorities, researchers, investors, and civil society.
The EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” is central to this transformation, driving research, innovation, and cooperation to restore marine and freshwater ecosystems. BlueMissionMed, coordinated by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR DSSTTA), works to bring this vision to life in the Mediterranean. SMILO shares these goals, supporting biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management on small islands worldwide. The Pelagos Initiative strenghen protections for the Pelagos sanctuary in line with its management plan, while Erasmus+ enhances education and training for sustainable blue growth. The event is also backed by the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN), which promotes maritime safety and environmental protection. Chimica Verde Bionet have long been promoting sustainability-focused initiatives, hosting annual events dedicated to small island resilience. Building on this strong foundation, Capraia has been chosen as the 2025 venue for the Pilot Platform, offering and ideal setting to advance sustainability solutions and foster collaboration.
By equipping Mediterranean small island communities with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need, this event aims to support islands’ transition to sustainability, demonstrating how resilience, cooperation, and shared expertise can drive the ecological transition for a healthier Mediterranean Sea basin.
DRAFT PROGRAMME20 May: Day 1 – Islands’ Forum & Capraia Sustainable Island Management
08:00 Departure from Livorno by ferry. Tickets available at biglietteria Toremar (Via del Molo Mediceo, 12, Livorno). Boarding starts 45’ in advance.
10:45 Estimated time of arrival in Capraia
12:30-12.50 Welcome & introduction
- Lorenzo Renzi, Capraia Mayor
- Giampiero Sammuri. Tuscany National Park
- Francesco Petracchini, CNR-DSSTTA
- Sofia Mannelli, Chimica Verde Bionet
- Maxime Prodromides, SMILO president
13:00-14.00 Lunch
14:15-15.30 Islands Forum
15:30-18:00 Island Visit: discovering Capraia’s sustainable management & challenges
(with the participation of local stakeholders), tbd
19:00 Sharing island cultures, food tasting & meeting with the inhabitants
21 May: Day 2 – Sea Conservation & Sustainable Tourism
Chair: CNR
9:00-9:15 Keynote: Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Risk for Mediterranean Small Island, Fabio Trincardi, tbc
9:15-9:30 Keynote: The EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030, Elisabetta Balzi, EC DG RTD, tbc 9:30-10:30 Solutions’ Forum, Blue Sustainable Tourism & Sea conservation. Chair: SMILO - Lavezzi case, OEC Corsica (tbc)
- Blue Tourism, Angelo Sciacca
- Remedies – fighting against plastic waste pollution (tbd)
- Carrying capacity – Ventotene example (tbc)
- Carrying capacity – Porquerolles example
- IFAN : The role of Aids to Navigation related to safety of navigation and
protection of the marine environment
10:30-11:00 Coffee break
11:15-12:15 Solutions’ Forum, Eco-Ports Chair: SMILO - Port-Cros electric boat experience
- Stewart’s contact
- ISLET (tbc)
- MedCruise (tbd)
12:15-12:30 Q&A session
12:30-14:00 Lunch
14:00-15:00 Parallel tables: What are the obstacles & needs for small islands sustainable transition? Chair: BlueMissionMed
Conclusions by rapporteurs
15:15-16:30 PARALLEL EVENTS
OPTION 1 – Pelagos Sanctuary – Discovering solutions in Capraia
15:15-16:15 Visit of the port: - Analysis of the activities envisaged by the Pelagos Project on the reduction of waste produced by tourists arriving at the port of Capraia
- Pelagos Initiative Delivery of electric dinghy to moorers in the port of Capraia
- Other sustainable activities at the port (100% renewable energy system, tbd)
16:30-18:00 Additional tours: - Sea tour by boat (limited seats, tbc)
- Sustainable agriculture, visit to farm with a walk of at least 6 km with park guide
(tbc)
OPTION 2 – 15:15-18:00 – BlueMissionMed Support Program (tbd) 19:00-20:00 Visit to Church of Sant’Antonio. The historic relationship between the Abbot of Lerins and the island of Capraia: Meeting with the Abbot of Lerins who returns to Capraia after 1500 years.
22 May: Day 3 – Supporting Sustainable Mediterranean Small Island Communities
9:00-10:30 National Initiatives for Islands Sustainability and Sea Conservation - 9:00-9:20: Italian Protected Areas – PNAT President Mr. Sammuri (tbc)
- 9:20-9:40: Isole Sostenibili 2025 report presentation
- 9:40-10:00: “GR-eco Islands” Initiative – Promoting sustainable development,
green economy, energy autonomy and digital innovation in the Greek Islands by
2030, Kostas Komninos (tbc) - 10:00-10:20: Biodiversity Gateway (tbd)
10:30-11:00 Coffee break
11:00-12:45 BlueMissionMed think-tank to scale up solutions across Mediterranean Small Islands in the framework of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters - Lampedusa Pilot, Direzione Ambiente, Regione Siciliana (tbc)
- Financing solutions, BlueMissionMed (tbd)
- IFAN : funding global activities the protection of the marine environment
- Enhancing Cooperation between Northern and Southern Mediterranean Islands,
Rym Benzina, President of La Saison Bleue
12:45-13:00 Towards UNOC3: One Island, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for the UNOC (online)
13:00 Closure of the event
13:30 Lunch
15:30-17:00 Optional visit to the Info Point of the National Park (tbc)
17:15 Departure towards Livorno by ferry 20:00 Estimated time of arrival in Livorno During the event, the organizers will hold a special reading session of the book “Our Blue Treasure” with school children from Capraia at the local library (tbd).
Developed as part of the BlueMissionMed project, “Our Blue Treasure” is an engaging and educational book designed to foster ocean and water literacy among children aged 6 to 10. Already translated into nine languages, the book serves as a valuable tool to inspire the next generation in protecting our marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Co-organisers:
Chimica Verde Bionet, Capraia island, Italy SMILO – Small Islands Organisation, France BlueMissionMed CSA
The event is organized thanks to the support of:
EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 National Research Council of Italy (CNR) ERASMUS+
PELAGOS INITIATIVE
International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN)
