Adapting coastal zone urban areas of the Black Sea to the Blue economy/Blue growth principles (case of Adjara autonomy, Georgia)

Keywords: urban development, blue economy, coastal zone development
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 64

Abstract

The presentation deals with coastal urban areas of Georgia, with emphasis on the city of Batumi, the leading development hub in the Eastern Black sea area, major center of tourist attraction and entertainment industry. It merges all coastal zone area settlements into growing urban agglomeration encompassing the whole Adjara autonomy. This is a telling example of successful local development in the absence of serious local resources (mostly financial) as well as not very favorable climatic conditions for marine recreation. This success stems mostly from repeated attempts by successive Georgian administrations to open a window of opportunity for local and foreign business in order to create an attractive pro-Western, non-post-Soviet image of Georgia. This development driver continues to act even during Covid-19 restrictions. Batumi, a formerly leading Soviet era regional sea port, still is maintaining its role as an important logistic center. Although it requires modernization within the rapidly growing urban agglomeration. The rapidly developing coastal zone also plays important role in the introduction of sustainable Blue economy/Blue growth principles into the whole Eastern Black sea area. Some ideas and visions of sustainable environmental development have already been formulated, although the process is still at its inception stage.