In celebration of International Coastal Clean-Up Day, for the first time ever, eight Indian beaches have been nominated for the prestigious global eco-label, the Blue flag certification. This news marks a significant step towards the promotion of sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the beach tourism sector.
The Eight Beaches
The selected beaches are Shivrajpur in Gujarat, Ghoghla in Daman & Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri beach in Karnataka, Kappad in Kerala, Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, Golden beach of Odisha and Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar.
Blue Flag Certification
Blue Flag beaches are recognized as the cleanest beaches globally. The Blue Flag is an internationally acclaimed voluntary eco-label awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators that adhere to stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria. The Blue Flag Programme, led by the non-profit organization FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education), was initiated in France in 1985.
BEAMS: India’s Own Eco-Label
India has launched its unique eco-label BEAMS (Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services) alongside the Blue Flag certification. The Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) introduced BEAMS under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project. The program aims to reduce pollution in coastal waters, foster sustainable beach facilities, protect and conserve coastal ecosystems, achieve high cleanliness standards, maintain hygiene and safety for beachgoers compliant with coastal environment regulations.
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan
The Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZM) champions coast management using a holistic approach, covering all aspects of the coastal zone – geographical and political boundaries, with sustainability as the objective. Discussed first during Rio de Janeiro’s Earth Summit in 1992, ICZM details were outlined within Agenda 21 of the summit’s proceedings. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) implements this World Bank-assisted project, with scientific and technical inputs provided by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai.
Society of Integrated Coastal Management
The Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) operates under the direction of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. SICOM aims for a healthy, resilient coastal and marine environment to continuously benefit the nation and coastal communities. SICOM strategically plans, manages, executes, monitors, and successfully implements the ICZMP-Phase-I as India’s national project management unit.
International Coastal Clean-Up Day
International Coastal Clean-Up Day is a global volunteer effort for ocean health, celebrated in over 100 countries since 1986. The day is commemorated every third Saturday of September under the auspices of the Washington-based Ocean Conservancy.