Blue Flag Beaches

What is Blue Flag Beaches

The Blue Flag Beaches Initiative began in France and in 1987, the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE) was formed by the European community that gave the concept of Blue Flag Beaches.

The Blue Flag Beaches Programme is run by the FEEE and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In 2001, FEEE rules were changed to allow non-European national organisations, and South Africa became the first country outside of Europe to join the initiative.

Blue Flag Beaches: About the Blue Flag Tag

• In order to qualify for the Blue Flag tag, a series of 33 stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria must be met and maintained by a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator.
• It serves as an eco-label.
• The certification is based in the recommendations of an International jury which includes United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• Around fifty countries currently participate in the programme, and over 4,000 beaches, marinas, and boats have this certification at present.
• The highest number of Blue Flag tagged sites in the world is found in Spain.

Blue Flag Beaches in India 2022

• India has aimed at expanding the network of Blue Flag certification to 100 such beaches in the country in the next five years.
• India launched its own eco label Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS) under its Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project in 2018.
• India’s First Blue Flag beach was Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha.
• India was also Asia’s first beach to get the certification.

Blue Flag Beaches in India List

Other Blue Flag Beaches in India

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