Blue Flag Certification

The Blue Flag certification is a globally recognised eco-label accorded to environmental- friendly, clean beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators. The programme was started in France in 1985 and in areas out of Europe in 2001.
The programme promotes sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas through four main criteria: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety.
There are 33 environment and tourism-related conditions for Blue Flag Certification. Few of them include, having proper waste disposal systems, availability of clean water for tourists, disabled friendly etc.
The certification is awarded by the Denmark-based non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which sets stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria that applicants must meet and maintain.
It is awarded annually to beaches and marinas in FEE member countries.
Around fifty countries currently participate in the program, and over 4,000 beaches and marinas have this certification.

Why in News?

In yet another recognition of India’s commitment to protect and conserve the pristine coastal and marine ecosystems through holistic management of the resources, the globally recognized and the coveted International eco-label “Blue Flag”, has been accorded to two new beaches – Minicoy Thundi Beach and Kadmat Beach- both in Lakshadweep. This takes the number of beaches certified under the Blue Flag certification to twelve (12).
The other Indian beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur-Gujarat, Ghoghla-Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri-Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda- Andhra Pradesh, Golden-Odisha, Radhanagar- Andaman and Nicobar, Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry beaches.

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