(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, DECEMBER 18 - NETTUNIT is an Italian-Tunisian platform being set up to issue alerts about weather conditions and atmospheric and marine pollution related to them. ''The project is designed to address environmental hazards through the regular exchange of environmental data and information, especially for coastal and marine habitat,'' a statement noted. It will be operational in early 2023 as part of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) and its cross-border cooperation programme. The news was announced by the National Institute of Meteorology (French: INM), the Tunisian lead partner that held an online event for the setting in motion of the project. NETTUNIT, with a budget of 1.066 million euros, 86% financed by the EU, will be created over a 30-month period. ''The platform, once in place, will dispense Tunisian and Italian civil protection, local health and emergency services. Citizens may have access to data available,'' said INM Director General Hédi Agrebi Jaouadi. ''The INM will provide predictions and natural phenomena impact simulations in the event of air pollution or environmental incidents at sea in the channel separating the Cap Bon region from the Island of Sardinia,'' the official noted. The project's area of intervention expands from Bizerte to Gabés. In addition to the INM, the project involves Abderrahmen Mami hospital in Ariana and the Digital Research Centre of Sfax as well as three Italian partners, namely the Italian National Research Council.in Palermo, IES Intelligence for Environment & Security and the health authority in the province of Caltanissetta. (ANSA).