(5.10.2010)
Since the Blue Flag programme started in 1987, more than 53 000 Blue Flags have been raised in the world. It is actually in 2010 that the 50 000th Blue Flag has been awarded!
The International Blue Flag Jury had its second annual meeting on 29 September 2010 to decide on the Blue Flag candidates from the Southern Hemisphere for the 2010/2011 season. The International Jury decided to award the Blue Flag to 85 beaches and 12 marinas in the Bahamas, Brazil, Dominican Republic, French Departments and Territories, Jamaica, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Turks and Caicos Islands. The International Jury also extended the pilot phase in Sint Maarten. Detailed information about the 2010/2011 awards for the Southern Hemisphere and the Caribbean will be published on the Blue Flag website www.blueflag.org from 1 November.
Every year, the National Blue Flag Jury studies in detail all the Blue Flag candidates, assuring their compliance with all beach and marina criteria on national and international level. Those accepted candidates are then forwarded to the International Jury, who focuses on certain criteria that vary from year to year, and give their final decision after having discussed and reviewed the candidates.
The Blue Flag programme has always been a precursor for introducing environmental education, safety and services on its sites to the general public. Continuously striving towards higher standards, the Blue Flag decided in 2007 that it was time for a change in its bathing water quality criteria, therefore initiating an ongoing process of discussions with technical and scientific experts. A new international standard which could apply to all the participating countries worldwide was agreed upon. This year was the first year where the new bathing water quality criteria was tested and adopted by certain countries. In a transition phase and until 2012, the countries have the possibility to apply either the old or the new Blue Flag bathing water quality. The International Jury has been very pleased with the use of the new bathing water quality criteria for its first year.
The International Jury is composed of representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Lifesaving Federation (ILS), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), an international environmental education expert, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
At the next International Jury meeting in April 2011 the outcome of the evaluation of Blue Flag candidate beaches and marinas from the Northern Hemisphere will be presented. The Blue Flag programme is looking forward to working with new countries such as Trinidad and Tobago or US Virgin Islands that have shown interest in the programme.
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is a non-governmen, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education.
FEE is an international umbrella organisation with one national member organisation per country representing FEE on the national level and in charge of implementing FEE programmes nationally. FEE currently has 74 member organisations in 64 countries worldwide.
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