There are 226 coastal resorts and 84 tourist landings in Italy that will be able to boast the Blue Flag 2023 award. These 226 Italian municipalities, totaling 458 beaches, correspond to a quarter of Italy's beaches, including lake as well as marine beaches, and about 11 percent of the world's award-winning beaches.
That's 16 more Blue Flags than last year. A progression that grows year by year: suffice it to say that in 1987 - the first year of the awarding of the recognition - the Blue Flag municipalities in Italy are 37, in 1997 they reach 48, in 2007 97, in 2017 they become 164, up to 226 today. Blue Flags are awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
Looking at the results obtained in this edition, there is, as mentioned, a growing trend of Blue Flag locations compared to the previous year. There are 16 more Blue Flag municipalities than last year's 210: 17, as mentioned, are the new entries, 1 the unconfirmed municipality. In detail by region, Liguria marks 2 new entries and reaches 34 localities, Puglia rises to 22 awards with 4 new municipalities. Campania and Tuscany follow with 19 Flags, both with one new entry; Calabria with two new Blue Flags. There are 21 Flags on lakes, with 4 new entries.
Marche rises to 18, with one new entry. Sardinia confirms its 15 locations, Abruzzo remains at 14, Sicily at 11, and Lazio at 10. Trentino Alto Adige's 10 flags also remain unchanged. Emilia Romagna sees 9 localities awarded with one exit and one new entry; Veneto's 9 Flags are reconfirmed. Basilicata confirms its 5 localities; there are 2 new entries in Piedmont, which thus gets 5 Flags; Friuli Venezia Giulia confirms the 2 from the previous year. Lombardy rises to 3 Blue Flag municipalities, with two new entries; Molise gains 2 Flags with a new municipality.
The Program's 32 criteria are updated periodically so as to push participating local governments to work to solve, and improve over time, issues related to land management in order to carefully safeguard the environment. Great emphasis is placed on the land management put in place by municipal governments. Several indicators are considered, including the existence and degree of functionality of sewage treatment plants; the percentage of sewer connections in the territory; waste management; accessibility; safety of bathers; care of urban furniture and beaches; sustainable mobility; environmental education; enhancement of nature areas; and initiatives promoted by the Administrations for better livability during the summer period.
