PROJECTS
HELPOS 2018-2021
The seismic hazard constitutes a study field at global level. Several countries of Europe are located at some of the most seismically active areas on Earth. This fact makes a large part of the EU population economically vulnerable against a violent earthquake, as well as against other geological phenomena, such as volcano eruptions, landslides, etc. Understanding processes leading to severe tectonic moves, as well as the exact simulation of their evolution over time and space, requires the direct and long-term availability of high - quality data produced from direct observations. The accessibility of this data can lead geo-sciences to new results for the society’s benefit, as they are obligatory for early warning systems for earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, as well as also for risk estimation and risk management by geological phenomena. The open access to research infrastructure will highly tone up innovative research in the field of geo-sciences. The HELPOS (Hellenic Plate Observing System) project, implemented in the framework of the Programme "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation" 2014-2020 (NSRF) from 2017 to 2020, is an initiative: 1) corresponding to the Greek and European need for a coherent and integrated research infrastructure in the field of geosciences and seismic mechanics, 2) covering the absence of such a project at national level, considering the model of greater projects as EPOS and ESA, 3) constituting a network of research installations and infrastructure with the participation of Greek research institutes and universities. HELPOS aims at implementing: 1) a national research infrastructure including the existing seismological, geodetic, etc. permanent monitoring networks, 2) observatories for multi-scientific data mining (volcanoes, in-situ active faults monitoring experiments, groups of geophysical equipment for applications relevant with dynamic processes on the Earth’s surface and with environmental changes, 3) observatories for the implementation of integrated research on the spatial variability of seismic move, 4) a network of experimental laboratories for the creation of a common research infrastructure on the study of the properties of stones and minerals, and 5) installations for storing, analyzing data from geophysical, geological, geochemical observations and also for large – scale simulations. The integration of research installations and infrastructure of geosciences and seismic engineering of Greece is a double challenge: first, the homogenization of geographically scattered experimental and recorded data, which will ease the multi-dimensional and complex analysis and simulation, and second the development of internet based scientific insfrastructures to support the construction, operation and usability of HELPOS. METON Inc. was assigned in 2018 the support to the management and coordination of works, budget and the partnership of the project.
GEORISK 2018-2020
The organization of the buildings web in several urban zones of Greece has been done in the past usually considering economic and social criteria, not paying attention to the geodynamic status of the wider area and the local soil conditions. The industrialization, the urgent increase of the population in urban and ultra-urban zones, as well as arbitrary construction are factors that increase the danger and worsen consequences (economic and human victims) from a possible strong earthquake, especially if the last is in direct neighboring with these zones. Moreover, the rapid development of the tourism industry after 1960 with the construction (arbitrary or not) of thousand of kilometers of Greek coasts has led to setting millions of people to the tsunami danger in East Mediterranean or in the Aegean Sea. The GEORISK (Developing Infrastructure and Provision of Services through Actions of Excellence to Reduce the Impact of Geodynamic Hazards) project, implemented in the framework of the Programme "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation" 2014-2020 (NSRF), from 2017 to 2020, aims at upgrading and increasing the provision of services with the application of innovative technologies that will lead to the estimation and the reduction: 1) of the seismic hazard (with application to schools), 2) of the tsunami hazard, and 3) of the volcano hazard. Areas of intervention are the East Corinthian Gulf and the West Saronic Gulf due to their geophysical and tectonic interest (high seismicity, tsunami phenomena, neighboring with active volcano) and their proximity with the most populated area of Greece (Attiki, Athens). METON Inc. was assigned in 2018 the support to the management and coordination of works, budget and dissemination of the project.
AEGIS 2018-2020
Until 2018, dealing with severe and widespread disasters had been proved extremely difficult in Greece and Cyprus, adversely affecting the economies and societies, and undermining the development efforts of the specific areas. Especially in the decade 2008 - 2018, with the rapid deterioration of the climatic conditions and the worsening economic crisis, both the primary disasters (natural, anthropogenic) and the secondary impacts were magnifying alarmingly. The AIGIS (Development of a Cross-border Integrated Innovative Intelligent System for Resource Management, Decision Making and Training in the Management of Natural and Technological Disasters and Anthropogenic and Social Crises) project, implemented in the framework of the "Greece-Cyprus 2014 - 2020 Programme" from 2018 to 2020, enhances the competence and administrative capacity of the competent civil protection authorities of the participating areas of Greece and Cyprus for the effective response to natural and man-made disasters and crises, through the pilot design and development of a cross-border integrated innovative intelligent system for the management of resources, decision making and response training to achieve high efficiency in administrative and operational actions. The project studies the administrative structure, the functions and the needs of civil protection in the North Aegean and Cyprus through research and drills, assesses technologies and decision-making systems internationally, maps and assesses disaster risk in the cross-border area, develops and installs the integrated cross-border innovative intelligent decision-making system, tests the system with realistic scenarios and field exercises, trains civil protection executives in its use and develops a results’ exploitation plan to ensure its viability. Beneficiaries of the project are the citizens of the areas of intervention through their enhanced security, as well as civil protection bodies that will have innovative decision-making systems in place to protect citizens, their lives and their property and those of the States. The AIGIS project creates the first cross-border intelligent decision-making system, an original approach at European level. The originality and added value of the cross-border approach is that: 1) the system will be improved for both countries by the experience of both, 2) the countries will share resources and know-how in operating the system, improving it, testing it in natural disasters and educating its users; 3) the exchange of information and data between the two countries will be enhanced. METON Inc. was assigned in 2018, for the Greek area of intervention, the support to the coordination, management and evaluation of works, the study of the administrative status of civil protection and mapping of operations, the analysis and evaluation of available disasters’ data, the collection of installed equipment, the collection and organization of available resources of the involved in civil protection authorities, the study of realistic disasters’ scenarios, the preparation of the project’s results exploitation plan.
I LOSE WEIGHT - I EARN LIFE 2015-2017
The coordination of dissemination, promotion and awareness raising actions for the project ”Education, Raising Awareness and Information - Prevention and Mitigation of Overweight and Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence", financed by the Programme "Development of Human Power (Greek NSRF), was assigned to METON Inc. and implemented from 2015 to 2016. With the help of the advertising firm SIMA S.A., the project team developed or/and organized: 1) dissemination strategy, 2) refreshment of the www.childhood-obesity.gr website, 3) integrated dissemination campaign, 4) scientific seminar, 5) press conference, 6) seventy (70) information sessions in schools all over Greece, 7) thirteen (13) information venues (Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Patras, Heraklion, Larissa, Lemnos, Syros, Rhodes, Kavala, Chania, Igoumenitsa, Grevena), 8) participation in 2 scienctific conferences in Greece and 2 scientific conferences abroad, 9) TV spot, 10) radio spot, 10) five (5) banners, 11) four (4) digital press releases, 12) two (2) press releases in newspapers, 13) social media promotion, 14) medical help desk, 15) development of training material and implementation of six (6) e-learning sessions, 16) two-pages flyer in 100.000 units, 17) one-page flyer in 20.000 units, 18) final report in 50 units with CD, 19) digital newsletters, 20) poster, 21) logo, 22) four (4) banners, 23) T-shirts in 2.000 units, 24) final conference.
CELEBRATING DANCE 2014-2015
The "Celebrating Dance" project, implemented from 2014 to 2015 in the framework of the Operational Programme "Attiki 2007 - 2013" (Greek NSRF) constituted a multi-collective action of high cultural value that connected very important international dance representatives in Athens, providing a unique product for the audience. From 28th - 30th October 2014, three (3) venues were organized including four (4) unique choreographies executed from the dancers of the Greek National School of Dance. The choreographies were: "Vertical Road" by Akram Khan, "Panorama" by Martha Graham, "Wien" by Pascal Rioult and "No More Fairytales" by Tono Lackhy. METON Inc. was assigned the provision of consulting services for the coordination and management of the project.
THESPIA 2012-2015
The project THESPIA (Establishment of Cooperations and Integrated Methodologies and Monitoring, Management and Prediction Tools for Environmental Parameters and Pressures), implemented in the framework of the Programme Attiki 2007 – 2013 (Greek NSRF), from 2012 to 2015, worked on the promotion of research in the scientific sectors of environment, hydrology, climate, energy, atmospheric quality, meteorology, natural disasters, climate change. Specifically, the project: 1) developed an integrated platform for the study of the particulate pollution, 2) monitored - forecasted the transfer of African dust to Greece, upgraded the meteorological station of Thission, installed new stations and created a network of actinometrical stations, 3) developed a prototype approach for integrated and quantitative estimation (also in economic terms) of the impacts of climate change to systems with co-existence of competitive water uses (housing, agriculture, tourism, electricity production), 4) estimated the potential of energy saving in Greek buildings with TABULA methodology. METON Inc. was assigned the support to the management and coordination of works, budget and dissemination of the project.
PROTEAS 2012-2015
During the first decade of the 21st century, the scientific world managed a huge development of Space Astrophysics and especially X-Rays Astronomy (satellites XMM of ESA, Chandra of NASA) and infrared (satellites Herschel of ESA, Spitzer and WISE of NASA). Greece started contributing actively to these new trends after its accession to ESA in 2005 through research projects, especially through optical observations from telescopes (e.g. specification of distances of observed galaxies). Moreover, due to the expansion of human activities in space, the study and prognosis of Space Weather started becoming very significant. In this sense, the PROTEAS (Advanced Space Applications for the Exploration of the Universe, the Space and the Earth) project, implemented from 2012 to 2015 in the framework of the Programme Attiki 2007 – 2013 (Greek NSRF), developed basic and applied research, upgraded - exploited the infrastructure of the AASARS Institute, and enhanced the educational activities of the Institute. The main results of the project were the supply - installation of equipment to the Telescopes “Aristarchos” and “Newall”, the upgrading of the installations of the Institute, the supply of data storing and archiving equipment and the upgrading of other equipment (ionospheric station, magnetometers, satellite data collection antenna). METON Inc. was assigned the support to the management and coordination of works, budget and dissemination of the project.
ASPIDA 2012-2015
Until the start of the 2nd decade of the 21st century, the urban construction and organization in Greece was being done usually on the basis of economic and social factors, bypassing the geodynamic status of the areas as well as local soil conditions. Moreover, the huge development of the tourism industry after 1960 with the construction (unorganized or not) of thousands of kilometers of Greek coasts has led to the exposure of millions of people to tsunami dangers in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea. The project ASPIDA (Upgrading Infrastructure for the Counter-Seismic Protection of the Country and Enhancement of the Provision of Services through Excellence Actions), implemented in the framework of the Programme Attiki 2007 – 2014 (Greek NSRF), from 2012 to 2015, focused on the results of big earthquakes in Greece, the development and upgrading of the National Tsunami Early Warning Centre, and the estimation of seismic danger and vulnerability of specific urban centers, archaeological sites and monuments. The project secured the viability of critical services, upgraded critical software, developed the first network of tide gauges with 50 – 100 Km average distance among stations, and upgraded services of early warning and collection of data. METON Inc. was assigned the support to the management and coordination of works, budget and dissemination of the project.
MILD HOME 2013-2014
The MILD HOME (My Modular, Intelligent, Low Cost, Do It Yourself, Nearly Zero Energy House for our Eco Green Village) project (nomimated for the Regio Stars Award 2015), co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of the South East Europe Programme and implemented from 2013 to 2014, aimed at defining the design and triggering the construction of a new type of civil building called the Mild Home which combines high energy performance and affordable operative costs for low-middle income people (young couples/ families). The project promoted the development of such a way of living, proving that it is possible to create synergies for the realization of Eco Green Villages (based on Mild Homes) in South-East European countries. The main steps of the project were: 1) defining the MILD HOME concept according to specific needs and trends of 8 areas located in Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Serbia, 2) designing 8 pilot projects of Eco Green Villages thanks to 8 competitions of ideas, 3) creating local supply-chains in the building sector, 4) fine-tuning 4 demonstrative projects of Eco Green Villages based on mild homes, 5) starting at least 2 of these 4 projects in 2 municipalities. METON Inc. was assigned to conduct the national study material, to coordinate national actions, to implement the dissemination of the project, to support expenses' certification procedures and to organize the representation of Greece in meetings, conferences and fairs.
LAKEADMIN 2013-2014
The economic values of clean and safe water in the 1st decade of the 21st century were well established. Lakes, ponds and reservoirs were still providing water for drinking, irrigation, recreation, fish, natural and cultural values and other ecosystem services. However, despite remarkable investments in wastewater treatment, the quality of many waters was still affected by internal and external factors such as sediments, agriculture and other diffuse sources. These problems coyuld be tackled only by lake management and restoration measures. The LAKEADMIN (Regional Administration of Lake Restoration Initiatives) project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of the Interreg IVC Programme and implemented from 2013 to 2014, followed up on the Interreg IIIC North project LakePromo, which, in 2004-2007, presented an overview of lake restoration practices. However, in the planning of concrete measures, the LakeAdmin partners from Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and Malta saw a need to review the experiences of case studies in more detail. Thus, the key objectives of LakeAdmin were to improve the goal-setting and quality of lake restoration in regions that had acknowledged the importance of lakes in their economic development, and to improve the effectiveness of regional development policies related to water management, especially in the field of lake, pond and reservoir restoration and management. METON Inc. was assigned to conduct the national study material, to coordinate national actions, to coordinate the national dissemination of the project, to support expenses' certification procedures, and to organize the representation of Greece in meetings and conferences.
VILLAGES 2012-2014
Approved under the first call for proposals for standard projects of the Operational Programme ENPI CBCMED, the VILLAGES (Exchange of Know-How for Sustainable Development of Local Communities in Less Favoured Mediterranean Rural Areas) Project, implemented from 2012 to 2014, was a project of cross-border cooperation at the level of the Mediterranean basin. From North to South and from East to West, the project traversed different regions of the Mediterranean, all concerned with the need to find sustainable solutions for their local communities in the less favoured rural areas. Whether islands, mountains, or isolated plains were concerned, the maintenance of populations and landscapes necessitated the creation of opportunities for improved living conditions, economically, socially and environmentally. In many respects, the economic and social well-being of villages' populations needed to be put at the center of the life of any local community, which should reflect on its future and build a capacity to elaborate and implement its own strategy for sustainability. The local development process which engaged found its legitimacy in the development of a local governance method adapted to each context. Partners exchanged not only on their successful experiences in terms of local integrated development, but also on public policies providing a framework and encouraging this type of experiences in some countries, likely to be innovative instruments in others. METON Inc. was assigned activities on exchange and transfer of know-how among the project partners in the two coasts of the Mediterranean.
EASY TRIP 2012-2014
EASYTRIP (GR-BG E-Mobility Solutions) was a cross-border project financed by the European Territorial Cooperation Programme “Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013” and implemented from 2012 to 2014. It aimed to improve cross-border accessibility between the regions of action through the development of a web-based tool which offers e-mobility services by using advanced ICT technologies that spread the information to all travelers using channels easily reachable from everyone (mobile phone applications, internet, VMS). EasyTrip services addressed the needs of road users, tourists and relevant authorities. The main target was to enhance sustainable and green mobility at trip ends, to improve road safety, to promote all areas of intervention supporting their economies and development giving also equal opportunities and fair competition and to minimize environmental impacts of traffic in the crossborder area. METON Inc. was assigned to implement surveys to railway users, to develop business plans and policies and to support dissemination and awareness raising actions.
MODELAND 2013
The MODELAND (Landscape, Territorial Mark of Identity and Driving Force for a New Model of Territorial Governance in Mediterranean Rural Areas) project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of the MED Programme and implemented in 2013, seeked to provide general and innovative answers, based on territorial governance, to the changes and threats faced by Mediterranean rural landscapes through the cooperation of five (5) rural territories facing the risk of remaining isolated from reflections taking place at community and national level. These territories were concerned by deep transformations and they endeavour to guarantee a sustainable development and benefit from the exchange of most innovative community-scale tools. The landscape planning models and tools developed in the framework of the project in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy and Spain became transferable to other Mediterranean territories sharing the same characteristics, in order to, ultimately, build a European network of territories adhering to a “Mediterranean Rural Landscape Chart”. METON Inc. was assigned to conduct the national study material, to coordinate national actions, to implement the dissemination of the project, to support expenses' certification procedures, and to organize the representation of Greece in meetings, conferences and fairs.
OTRIONS 2012-2013
Scope of the OTRIONS (Multi-Parametric Network for the Study and Monitoring of Natural Hazards in the Otranto Channel and the Ionian Sea) project, implemented from 2012 to 2013 in the framework of the Greece - Italy 2007 - 2013 Programme, was to improve dramatically the existing monitoring network in the Otranto Channel and the Ionian Sea areas in order to make the best equipment for monitoring natural hazards available. The Otranto Channel and the Ionian Sea are located in the proximity of active seismic areas of the Earth. The seismic activity in this area could trigger tsunamis that could devastate coastal regions. In order to better understand these phenomena and to mitigate the associated risk for the population, the availability of an efficient multi-parametric monitoring network was a prerequisite condition. Such a network could be realized and managed only through a strict cooperation between Italian and Greek institutions. For these reasons, a partnership was established between: University of Bari (Italy), the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (Italy), the Apulia Regional Authority (Italy), the Region of Ionian Islands (Greece), the Union of Local Authorities of Ionian Islands (Greece) and InnovaPuglia (Italy). Six (6) new seismic and geodetic stations were deployed in Apulia and the Ionian Islands, four (4) existing stations were updated and four (4) tidal gauges were installed. Four (4) coordination centers were created. All data coming from the instruments was collected and recorded and then analyzed in close cooperation among the partners. The expected results concerning tsunamis were: identification at sources and creation of integrated topo-bathymetric databases, elaboration of tsunami scenarios, calculation of inundation maps (according to international standards) for some relevant coastal segments or coastal towns and ports, installation of tidal gauges respecting the IOC recommendations in order to empower the regional monitoring system to record tsunamis in selected ports of the region. The models describing the propagation and the effects of possible tsunamis and the inundation maps represented a starting point for the long-term territory management. These models and the mareographic network represented the first step towards the realization of a real time tsunami alarm system. The accurate recording of the ground motion allowed by the new multi parametric network and by the new seismic velocity model permitted to obtain a better scenario of the seismic risk in the Otranto channel and Ionian Sea areas. METON Inc. was assigned to support management and coordination of the project for the Greek partners.
ICS 2012
The ICS (SMEs Cooperative Economy for Local Development) project was a territorial cooperation project financed by the Programme MED (co-financed by the ERDF Fund) and implemented in 2012. The project aimed at highlighting the definition of a common transnational strategy, through the coordination of national and regional policies, for the development of cooperative systems and the declination of policy lines in coordinated actions between specific sectors (fishery, tourism, agriculture and environment) in order to improve their capacity to face international competition, enhancing the value of their unique features on a transnational scale.The main activities were: survey on regional policies supporting the cooperative entrepreneurship; common action plan for the integration of cooperative systems; feasibility study for the “clusterization” of MED cooperatives of the sectors identified, pilot projects and online services. METON Inc. was assigned to conduct the national study material, to coordinate national actions, to support expenses' certification procedures, and to organize the representation of Greece in meetings and conferences.
EUFOFINET 2012
The EUFOFINET (European Forest Fire Networks) project, implemented in the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme Interreg IVC in 2012 and co-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund – ERDF) and the Hellenic Republic (Public Investments Programme of the Hellenic Republic), developed an integrated local pilot strategy, based on a series of applied good practices of Greece and other European countries, for the prevention and effective mitigation of forest fires. The project constituted the result of an intensive cooperation of Greek Regions with other nine (9) authorities from seven (7) E.U. countries (France, Denmark, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Poland and Slovakia), which, despite facing common problems in the sector of prevention and mitigation of forest fires, a fact that guided them to unifying their powers for the promotion of common strategies, they, however, had significant differences on their levels of expertise (that much among countries as well as among authorities), resulting to the development of powerful dynamics of good practices’ transfers from the most experienced to less experienced areas and countries. METON Inc. was assigned the preparation of studies for the Greek partner and the provision of support for the project's management and coordination.
XENIOS 2011-2012
In Messinia, significant tourism development was being expected until 2030, mainly due to ongoing investments at Integrated Tourism Development Areas (I.T.D.A). For so important for the local economy and society investments to prove profitable, it was necessary that all factors which are going to affect the quality of the relevant services in the future, were well defined and understood. Taking into consideration examples of specific areas where climate change led to alteration of their physical features, that used to be poles of tourism attraction, the main idea of a project included Messinia as a case study for the assessment of climate change impacts on tourism. Given the extended wildfires in 2007 in Peloponnese, and the intense tectonic activity which could lead to dangerous landslide phenomena, along with microclimate changes driven by changes in the physical environment and other climate factors, it was imperative to synergistically and multidisciplinarily approach the impacts anticipated to affect both the present and the future of tourism development in the area. Purpose of the XENIOS (Effects of Climate Change to the Touristic Development of Sensitive Areas of Greece. Pilot Case: Messinia – Regions of Integrated Touristic Development (R.I.Τ.D.) project, implemented in the framework of the National Funding Programme "Cooperation" (Greek NRSF 2007-2013) from 2011 to 2012, co-funded from the European Regional Development Fund, was not only to study the phenomena which could affect tourism in the future, but also to study the interaction between different phenomena which affect each other directly or indirectly, amplifying or accelerating their evolution, in other words to study the synergy between these phenomena and their relation to climate change. The outcome was the estimation of climate evolution in the area, with the use of climatic and other indices, and specific suggestions for smooth adaptation of the tourism sector to climate change, during the following decades. METON Inc. was assigned to conduct a study on risk assessment and simulation of fire spreading, and also the monitoring, study and database formation for environmental parameters in the area of Messinia.
2BPARKS 2011-2012
In the 1st decade of the 21st century, Protected Areas (PA) played an important role for sustainable territorial policies. Often perceived as a limit to economical growth, protected areas had to face up anthropic pressures reconciling economic interests with ecological requirements. New integrated plans based on a transnational framework should be fostered to improve the areas. A sustainable growth. Increasing awareness and diminishing economical and social impacts were instances that should be considered to avoid the loss of MED ecological balance. Protected Areas represented added value for Mediterranean attractiveness, not only as recreational areas but also as factors of sustainable development, due to a strong connection between the protection of fragile areas, the enhancement of natural resources and sustainable development. The 2BPARKS (Creative sustainable management, territorial compatible marketing and environmental education to be parks) project, implemented in the framework of the MED Programme from 2011 to 2012, and co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund and the Hellenic Public Investments' Programme, aimed to increase the effectiveness of protected areas in preserving biodiversity and providing solutions for the long-term ecological, social and financial sustainability. Results were: 1) a Roadmap - a user friendly tool designed to support protected areas managers in orienting themselves among the existing guidelines and selecting the most suitable ones, 2) a Notebook, a practical tool for public and private operators who agreed in developing the sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean protected areas and in entering the Eurocharter network, 3) a Sourcebook and an Education Platform which ensured a continuous knowledge system updating and an increase of the employment potentiality in protected areas. METON Inc. was assigned the preparation of protected areas' management studies for the Greek partner.
ENERSCAPES 2011-2012
The growing use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the 1st decade of the 21st century started leading to a new awareness on their compatibility with landscape and heritage preservation policies. The ENERSCAPES (Territory, Landscape and Renewable Energies) project, implemented in the framework of the MED Programme from 2011 to 2012, and co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund and the Hellenic Public Investments' Programme, aimed at avoiding the negative effects that a non-regulated diffusion of RES could cause on Mediterranean territories and landscapes. If at national and European scale the development of RES could be considered as a positive, desirable and necessary development, the local scale was challenged in terms of changes of territorial assets, especially regarding ecological and cultural landscapes. The RES market growth, if not suitably regulated – and although it could achieve the increase of overall energy production - could negatively affect competitiveness in terms of tourist attractiveness, strictly related to landscape assets. Thus, a region that aimed to become more competitive and sustainable, needed to carry on both RES system implementation and territorial preservation, and, hence, to look for a good balance between these growth factors. METON Inc. was assigned the preparation of protected areas' management studies for the Greek partner.
EL0071 2010-2011
The EL0071 (System Development on Monitoring Slope Stability for the Prevention of Landslides and Training of Local Public Authorities in the Region of Peloponnese) project, an ambitious project for the protection of the citizens and the regional economic development, was implemented from 2010 to 2011 in the region of Peloponnese, in the framework of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area (FM EEA). The project was implemented in two main phases: at first phase, the project developed a permanent pilot system for monitoring areas of the Region of Peloponnese facing slope instability problems with the use of space technologies, and specifically with the use of satellite geodesy, which calculated ground motion velocities and unstable areas’ surface, and which monitored deformations. At second phase, the project secured the operation and sound exploitation of the system by the participating public authorities through the training of: a) the staff of the technical departments of the participating local authorities in the operation of the system, the understanding of its calculations and indications and the diagnosis of intervention needs, and b) the representatives of the decision making level (elected or not) in making sound decisions in relation with the information they will receive from the staff of technical departments. METON Inc. was assigned the scientific coordination of the project (specification of monitoring areas, supply and installation of corner reflectors, supply and installation of GPS, development of measures' map, distance training platform and training sessions) and the preparation of a results exploitation plan.
MIRTO 2010-2011
Until 2008, research results revealed that the South European regions were heavily affected by forest fires, with more than 50.000 fire events recorded every year. The Mediterranean islands, in particular, during the summer season, showed a high fire risk and fire represented one of the major threats for tourist safety and the environment. Several measures had been adopted to increase public awareness on forest fires and to enhance the preparedness of both residents and tourists. All possible mass communication channels were used to reach the general public, but lack of strategy, targeted communication and continuity over time were often observed. As the Mediterranean islands represented one of the leading tourist destinations in Europe, the effectiveness of awareness raising campaigns was of greatest relevance. Actions targeted to different sectors of society (tourists, land owners, farmers, etc) and educational activities (i.e. appropriate behavior to prevent fires and response activities after fire start) were considered urgently needed. The tourism industry often feared that forest fire prevention campaigns could give a picture of unsafety to their region. But, on the contrary, participation of local authorities, tourist operators and local inhabitants could raise the effectiveness of prevention campaigns significantly and result in an increase of public awareness. This was the scope of the MIRTO project, implemented in the framework of the European "Civil Protection Programme" from 2010 to 2011. METON Inc. was assigned the technical and administrative coordination of works of the Greek partner, financial management, reporting, support to the organization of meetings and venues, securing the quality of the deliverables of the Greek side.
CERAMICA 2009-2011
CERAMICA was a transnational project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of the Interreg IVC Programme implemented from 2009 to 2011. It was the result of a cooperation among European areas that “shared” common cultural characteristics and faced common problems, a fact that led them to unite their powers towards the conservation, support and promotion of the sectors of ceramics, handicraft and traditional craft in their areas and, more widely, in the rest of Europe. Scope was the development of those tools that would contribute in the empowerment of the cultural and economic position of the sectors of ceramics, handicraft and traditional craft in Europe. Basic aim of the project was the location of effective solutions and tools that would support the aforesaid creative sectors so that they become development levers for the local and regional economies of the participating areas. METON Inc. was assigned the SWOT and market analysis in Greece for the enterprises of the sectors of ceramics, handicraft and traditional craft, and the Local Action Plan for the further development of the sectors.
LEADER+ PROGRAMME 2008
In 2008, METON Inc. participated in and co-coordinated the preparation of two large-scale project proposals in the framework of the Greek LEADER Programme 2007 – 2013, the most innovative programme for rural development in Greece. The 1st project was submitted with a total budget of 30.160.580 euro, having Messinia and Southwestern Peloponnese as its area of intervention. Scope of the project, entitled “Life in the Messinian Olive-Fields”, was to exploit the potential of olive-cultivation and of the landscape that came up from the co-existence of man with the environment, a fact that developed a special Mediterranean landscape, the Messinian Olive-Fields, so as to enhance local competitiveness and to increase the attractiveness of the area as a place of quality of life and a qualitative tourism destination. The 2nd project was submitted with a total budget of 30.377.740 euro, having Eastern Peloponnese as its area of intervention. Scope of the project, entitled “Eastern Peloponnese – from Eco-development to Innovation”, was to further enhance the successful practices of the previous Leader Programmes with the integration of the methodological and technological innovation data for the development of a bridge from eco-development to innovation. The Programme focused on the development of local democracy systems that produce local development through new institutions and pave the way to achieve local competitiveness. Moreover, the Programme developed actions to integrate the identity of the area in the everyday operation of tourism enterprises, to develop externalization conditions for local products and to integrate the image of the area in the consciousness of local population.
LOCAL QUALITY PACT OF NORTH PELOPONNESE 2008
The REACTIVATION of the Local Quality Pact of North Peloponnese and the promotion of its role and its area of intervention was a project assigned in 2008 to METON Inc. in the framework of the LEADER+ Programme of North Peloponnese. Under a bottom-up approach and with the help of local and national experts, METON developed very significant material, namely: 1) Business Plan for the operation of the Local Quality Pact, 2) Logo, 3) Website, 4) Flyers for the Local Quality Pact and the area, 5) Stickers for the Local Quality Pact, 6) Photo Album for the Local Quality Pact and the area, 7) Website promotion actions, 8) Documentary for the Local Quality Pact and the area, 9) Quality - Recognition Map for the local products and activities, 10) Decorative tablecloths with the map and the communication data of the Local Quality Pact, 11) Guide on services' specifications for the 4 main enterprises' categories of the Local Quality Pact, 12) Publications in magazines/ newspapers for the Local Quality Pact and its activities, 13) Promotion stands for the participating enterprises, 14) Complaints' boxes for the participating enterprises, 15) Wall labels of the Local Quality Pact for the participating enterprises, 16) Seminar on information/ awareness raising of the participating enterprises.
