“The Atlas of Greek Islands:
a tool for planning for Blue Growth in small
islands using the Integrated Spatial
Investments”
Ioannis Spilanis, Associate Professor,
Department of Environmental Studies
ESIN (European Small Islands’ Network) Conference
Kastelorizo, 23-09-15
The Atlas of Greek Islands (1)
Why ?
-The program of the Ministry of Education for the reinforcement of
Universities on Island Archipelagos (Aegean, Ionion)
- The support to the University of the Aegean to become a pole of
excellence on islands research and studies
- The need for compiled information –mainly based on quantitative
data- in order to sustain education, research and planning on islands
- The need to outreach two main weaknesses of the greek statistical
system:
- sectorial approach
- administrative approach (islands don’t exits as units)
The Atlas of Greek Islands (2)
What? The content of the Atlas
80
inhabited islands (out of 114) independently if they are NUTS 2 (Crete),
NUTS 3 (Zakynthos), LAU 1 (Communities - Kastelorizo), LAU 2 (ex-communities
- Koufonisi)*. Island regions (NUTS2) and island departments (NUTS3)
Data
base, with compilation of data on all the main topics of economy,
society and environment collected and validated from the Greek statistic
Authority (census, surveys, administrative acts …) but also from EUROSTAT and
ESPON
Different
thematic maps* using row data, indicators and modern
cartography as the Atlas of ESPON
Analysis
of the information compiled using the EUROSTAT REGIO
Yearbook approach
The Atlas of Greek Islands (3)
Why Atlas is important ?
For islands in general as there are not differentiated in
policy maters from the mainland even if it is generally
accepted that they are territories with specific features
For archipelagos in order to reveal intra-regional
disparities between “big” and “small” islands, “developed”
and “un-developed” ones
 For coastal islands that are “unknown” and rarely taken
into account in the development planning of the mainland
regions they belong to.
Planning for Blue Growth is small islands (1)
The outcomes from EUROISLANDS ESPON project
 Islands are less developed and more fragile/vulnerable
territories compared to the european mainland
 Islands are less attractive for people and enterprises as the
cost of operating on an island is higher than on mainland due
to islands’ specificities (smallness, isolation, fragility) and
delays to crucial domains (education, innovation, connectivity,
ICT, job and carrier opportunities, social and cultural life,
governance)
 Archipelagos and small islands are more vulnerable and less
attractive
 Natural and cultural capital is an asset that has to be
exploited within a quality of life approach different than in the
big cities based on islandness features
Planning for Blue Growth is small islands (2)
The outcomes from EUROISLANDS ESPON project




EUROPE 2020 strategy has to be adapt for Islands to:
“quality islands” with products and services of upper quality and value
added incorporating local tangible and intangible resources vs low cost
strategies
“green islands” with a better use and reuse of rare resources + mitigation to
climate changes vs high resource consumption
“equal opportunities islands” giving to insular population and enterprises
the opportunities to succeed with high quality general interest services
“Blue Growth” gives to islands, mainly to the smaller ones that have more
marine than terrestrial resources but also threats coming for the sea, new
sustainable opportunities out of 3S tourism and real estate projects at least
on 3 domains based on the islands:
Fishing and aquaculture
 Costal and marine tourism
 Renewable energy

that can be linked with the other activities
Planning for Blue Growth is small islands (3)
Within the new European Structural Policy there is a new useful tool for this type
of integrated territorial development: the Integrated Territorial Investment .
Possibilities
- infra and/or inter-regional coverage
- use of all the Funds.
Conditions:
-
Specific territories with problems
-
Integrated strategy and plan with specific goals fitting on the national thematic
goals
-
Governance system (institution for strategy elaboration + (inter)regional
coordination body)
Within the Greek program 2014-20 the only proposal that is officially included
concerns islands
There is need for political will in order to be activate
Thank you for your attention
E-mail: ispil@aegean.gr
Acknowledgement
This work is supported by the project: The Integrated Programme for Insularity Research (IPIR) of the
programme 'The University of the Aegean, the prominent and driving factor for the economic and social
growth of the wide Aegean area' of the Operational Programme 'Education and Lifelong Learning', which is
co-funded by European Union ('European Social Fund') and National Resources.
Map of the
Greek islands
At least of
LAU2*
Population change
1951-2011
Tourism beds
(hotels, camping,
rooms to let)
Total annual arrivals
to islands (by air
and by ship)
Total
arrivals/inhabitants*