OUTCOME AND FOLLOW UP OF A CONTRIBUTION TO PROMOTE EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL AREAS MANAGEMENT (MICAM 2000 INTERNATIONAL TRAINING INITIATIVE)

(1),(3)Jacques MORELLI , (2),(3)Michel POPOFF

(1) French CNRS formerly seconded to IOC/UNESCO, now affiliated to:
UMR 6012 ESPACE, UFR Espaces et Cultures, University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis
NICE Cedex 3, (FR)
(2) Faculty of Sciences, University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis, NICE, (FR)
(3) MICAM 2000 Advanced Study Course (FR)

An International English/French bilingual Advanced Study Course called MICAM 2000 - Mediterranean Integrated Coastal Areas Management - has been organized in Nice (France) in September 2000, with focus on the Mediterranean Basin, as a joint initiative of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) and the University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis (UNSA).

The European Commission (5th R & D Framework Programme, DG Research,) was the main sponsor of MICAM 2000, essentially for supporting European lecturers and participants. The course was also significantly supported by UNESCO: IOC and CSI (Coastal regions and Small Islands unit), mostly for participants and teachers from Mediterranean developing countries. It was co-sponsored by UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan, Conseil Régional de Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur, Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes and Nice Town Council, and received the patronage of Oceans 21 linked with IGU and IOC/UNESCO, and of French Ministry for National Education.
The aim of MICAM 2000 was to provide up to date scientific basis for an interdisciplinary approach of natural processes, socio-economic development and their interactions around the Mediterranean. The course was directed to a target public of 3rd cycle level selected participants from mixed origins: young graduates from Universities and Engineering Schools, professionals involved in environmental protection, teaching activities and research. This educative action has assembled 28 lecturers from 10 countries, 23 of them from European Union and 51 participants from 20 countries. As regard to their geographic repartition, 28 of them were from European Union including 22 participants from Mediterranean states members, 15 from Southern and Eastern Mediterranean and 4 from Black Sea riparian States.
Spreaded over 61 hours of lectures and additional time for field courses, the MICAM 2000 programme has covered multisectorial aspects that should be considered in sustainable integrated coastal zones management strategies. It was structured as follows:
- 28 hours for providing elements on physical, chemical and biological oceanography and associated sciences such as meteorology, climatology and biogeochemistry of land/air/sea interactions, considering that wise coastal management practices require a good understanding of complex natural processes occurring along the Mediterranean coasts and of their anthropic alterations;
- 18 hours devoted to the future of Mediterranean related to the increasing human impact of riparian countries, to prospective scenarios including demographic evolution and socio-economic activities around the Mediterranean, and to responses in terms of integrated coastal management, relevant legal regulations, and international cooperations intended to favour sustainable development;
- 15 hours for cases studies in various Mediterranean countries, concerning examples of subregional coastal planning, investigations on coastal erosion, vulnerability of deltaic areas facing sea level rise risks, and monitoring of seismic risks;
- 14 hours for field visits to show practical cases of coastal management on the French Riviera, with focus on clean technologies for water waste treatment in an urbanized area submitted to a high touristic pressure, and on mediation in environmental conflicts aiming to prepare contractual agreements to better balance socio-economic development and littoral protection.
The great interest aroused by the MICAM 2000 Course (about 5000 visits on the Course Web Site and 130 applications from 30 countries, most of them from high level candidates) reflects a strong need of capacity building in coastal zones management from maritime States, especially in Mediterranean and Black Sea. The human and scientific exchanges resulting from the diversified mixing of initial backgrounds, professional experiences, projects, cultures and nationalities of MICAM 2000 participants were very fruitful. The links established during the course are promising for the future and the MICAM 2000 community represents a potential network available for a significant contribution to reinforce coastal environmental protection.
One possible way for further developments could be to associate efforts of scientists and institutions active in this field on the French Riviera and in neighbouring Liguria, in the framework of a joint cooperative project. A proposal focused on a sustainable management of the Franco-Italian transboundary littoral combining environmental and socio-economic diagnostic, assistance to decision making, awareness and education has been prepared within the UMR ESPACE Research Team from Nice, linked with UNSA and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France). Concerted discussions are in progress to look for a possible involvement of potential partners in the project, in particular with Genovese groups well known for their international experience in promoting coastal management and with several relevant French regional and local authorities, and to consider the possibility to get an inter-institutional funding.
With respect to awareness and educational aspects of the project, it seems advisable to present the Franco-Italian's know how for coastal management during workshops open to representatives from various countries around Mediterranean and to cooperate in this way with concerned international organisations. This kind of initiative could significantly contribute to strengthen North-South Euro-Mediterranean exchanges of experiences and partnerships for sustainable development, which has important implications for life quality, stability and peace in the Mediterranean Basin.

TRAINING IN SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT: A CRUCIAL NEED FOR WISE STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE GLOBAL AND REGIONAL MAN'S INDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
A large and growing part of the world population is concentrated in coastal areas, and presently represents about half of mankind. The socio-economic development of maritime regions generates increasing harmful effects on terrestrial and marine coastal environment, which is therefore one of the most vulnerable zone of our Planet.
According to recommendations in Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 emanating from the Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in 1992, sustainable integrated coastal areas management of maritime countries appeared then as an high priority during the last decade.
This has lead to appropriate international initiatives at global and regional scales, such as GESAMP inter-agencies experts group contribution on scientific aspects of integrated coastal management, research projects on marine coastal environment protection carried out with the support of the European Commission, and implementation of the ICAM Programme - Integrated Coastal Areas Management - within Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC).
The sustainable integrated coastal management implies basic knowledge on natural processes at the land/air/sea interface and their interactions with human activities: industries, agriculture and fisheries, transports including maritime traffic, impact of urbanization and tourism. The role of the relevant scientific community is fundamental to provide policy makers with expertises for appropriate decisions, to better conciliate socio-economic development and protection of terrestrial and marine coastal zones.
There is then a vital requirement to reinforce synergies between multidisciplinary environmental research, administrative and socio-economic actors involved in coastal management and planning, at the international, national, regional and local levels, in order to mitigate man's induced environmental change.

THE INTERNATIONAL STAKES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN
At a regional scale, the Mediterranean is a semi-enclosed basin submitted to a very strong human pressure as consequence of coasts attraction for inland populations, exploding demography in riparian developing countries, and socio-economic activities, with tourism in the forefront (Mediterranean is the first touristic destination in the world).
The Barcelona Convention ratified by 20 riparian States of the Mediterranean and by the European Union reflects their will to protect this precious common good, and to cooperate for reducing pollutants emissions and effects and to promote a sustainable development for preserving the environment and life quality.
This is a powerful lever to stimulate international exchanges in the Mediterranean Basin, to disseminate clean technologies, to contribute to more prosperity and less social disparities and then, to insure more security and peace in this unstable zone at the southern border of Europe.
Then, it is clear that international initiatives for sustainable development around Mediterranean, such as those launched in the framework of UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan, are essential for Mediterranean protection and to well being of riparian populations.
The major International Conference convened on May 25-29, 1998 in Genova, Italy, by the International Centre for Coastal and Ocean Studies (ICCOPS) has stressed attention on the importance of education and training for coastal integrated management.
Further to this meeting, it seemed advisable to organise the MICAM 2000 International Advanced Course, as a contribution to disseminate interdisciplinary scientific basis requested for wise environmental protection and coastal management in the Mediterranean Basin.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE MICAM 2000 INTERNATIONAL ADVANCED STUDY COURSE: ORGANISING INSTITUTIONS, SPONSORS, TARGET AUDIENCE

The Advanced Study Course MICAM 2000 (Mediterranean Integrated Coastal Area Management), was held during two weeks, from 4 to 15 September 2000, at the Faculty of Science of Nice, France.
MICAM 2000 was organised in the framework of a partnership between Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO - Ocean Science Programme / ICAM Programme (Integrated Coastal Area Management) - and the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (UNSA) - DESS "Gestion de la Planète" (Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées) -.
The main sponsor of MICAM 2000 was the European Commission (5th R & D Framework Programme, Sector Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, DG Research, Directorate DI " Preserving the Ecosystem"). UNESCO - IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) and CSI (Coastal and Small Islands Unit) - has also significantly supported the Course.
The Course was co-sponsored by the Mediterranean Action Plan of United Nations Environmental Programme (MAP/UNEP), Conseil Régional de Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur, Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes and Nice Town Council. It was efficiently supported by the University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis (UNSA) and has received the patronage of Oceans 21, a joint programme of International Geographic Union (IGU) and IOC/UNESCO, and of the French Ministère de l'Education Nationale.
English and French were the working languages of the Course and a good practice of the two languages was recommended in the application forms.
The Course participants were selected on the basis of multidisciplinary 3rd cycle cursus, with a mixing between young graduates from Universities and equivalent (Engineering Schools), and professionals involved in environmental protection, teaching activities and associated research.

OBJECTIVES OF MICAM 2000
The main objectives of the MICAM 2000 Course were:

INTERDISCIPLINARY STRUCTURE OF MICAM 2000 COURSE
The MICAM 2000 Course has included 61 hours of Lectures given by 28 lecturers, 23 of them from 6 European Union countries (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, UK), 1 from USA, and 4 from 4 Mediterranean non-European countries (Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia).
The Course programme has consisted in a multidisciplinary integrated approach of natural processes, socio-economic development and their interactions around the Mediterranean Basin, with focus on the marine and littoral environment, and was structured according to 3 main topics:

PART I - FUNDAMENTAL BASIS FROM MEDITERRANEAN MARINE RESEARCH AND ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (28 hours) Part I has stressed attention on natural physical and biogeochemical processes occurring in the Mediterranean Environment, and on their man's induced alterations. Elements on meteorology, marine hydrology, climatic evolution and resulting sea-level rise, air/sea exchanges, atmospheric and riverine matter input into sea, marine ecosystems, marine pollution and marine ecotoxicology have been given in this section. The aim of Part I was to provide a basic scientific background on various aspects of complex processes to be taken into account by coastal managers, to implement wise practices in favour of marine and coastal zones protection.

PART II - ENVIRONNEMENT/DEVELOPMENT INTERACTIONS, FUTURE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN AND SUSTAINABLE COASTAL MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS (18 hours) Part II has introduced the key question of the Mediterranean evolution resulting from increasing anthropic pressure of riparian countries, taking into account fast growing demography and industry and tourism development along the coasts. A prospective approach aiming to anticipate and to better control this situation was presented, with focus on the crucial need of alternative sustainable development strategies, in order to reinforce the Mediterranean protection. Methodological aspects and tools of integrated coastal areas management, international cooperation in this field, socio-economic and legal aspects, rational fisheries management to avoid over-exploitation of marine living resources and cleaner technologies use to reduce pollutants emissions were considered in Part II.

PART III - CASE STUDIES RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL AREAS ( Lectures - 15 hours - and field courses - 14hours -) Different case studies dealing with the environmental impact of human activities in various countries around Mediterranean and appropriate implementation of sustainable coastal management were presented in Part III. They covered examples of subregional coastal planning and development, investigations on coastal erosion, vulnerability of deltaic areas facing sea level rise risks, and monitoring of seismic risks. Field trips have also been organized, in order to show practical cases of wise coastal management along the touristic Riviera-Provence coast, including urban water waste treatment, littoral conservation in a protected area, and mediation in environmental conflicts aiming to prepare contractual agreements to better balance socio-economic development and marine and coastal zones preservation.

The detailed programme of the 3 main topics of MICAM 2000 is given below, including information on field courses at the end of Part III.

DETAILED PROGRAMME OF MICAM 2000: AN EXAMPLE OF MULTISECTORIAL ASPECTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN WISE SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

OPENING SESSION

Opening address:

- Mrs Geneviève GOURDET, President of Nice - Sophia Antipolis University, (UNSA)
- Message from Mrs Elisabeth LIPIATOU, Scientific Officer, DG Research, European Commission, Brussels,
- Dr Julian BARBIERE, Coordinator ICAM Programme -Integrated Coastal Area Management -, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO),
- Dr Marc LAFAURIE, Deputy Mayor Delegate to Environment, Nice Town Council ( Representative of Mr Jacques PEYRAT, Senator-Mayor of Nice )

Aims of the course and general information, by MICAM 2000 Course Scientific Directors, Prof. Michel POPOFF (UNSA) and Dr Jacques MORELLI (IOC/UNESCO).

Presentation of the participants and social international exchanges during the opening session and a welcome cocktail offered by Nice Town Council at UNSA Grand Château.

CONTENT OF PART I: FUNDAMENTAL BASIS FROM MEDITERRANEAN MARINE RESEARCH AND ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (28 hours)

Atmospheric circulation and elements of meteorology in the Mediterranean Basin (1 hour ½ ), by Eng. M.F. DELANSORNE, Centre Départemental de la Météorologie des Alpes Maritimes, Nice, France

Observations and simulations of climatic changes in the Mediterranean Basin (2 hours), by Eng.S. PLANTON, Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques, Toulouse, France.

Observation of sea level variations in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (1 hour ½), by Dr P.Y. LE TRAON, Collecte Localisation Satellite (CLS), Ramonville - Saint Agne / Toulouse, France.

Mediterranean circulation and coastal forecasting (3 hours), by Prof. N. PINARDI, ISAO-CNR, Università di Bologna, Italy.

Atmospheric input and trace metal geochemical cycles in the Mediterranean, Air-Sea gas exchanges (3 hours), by Dr M. NIMMO, University of Plymouth, U.K.

Riverine input to the Mediterranean, Environmental problems of the Black Sea with consideration on impact of changing riverine input (4 hours), by Prof. V. ITTEKKOT, Zentrum für Tropenökologie, Bremen, Germany.

Hydroclimatic anomalies and impact on living communities in the Mediterranean (1hour ½), by Prof. L. LAUBIER, Centre d'Océanologie, Marseille, France.

Basic data on carbon and nutrients marine biogeochemical cycles in the Mediterranean, Primary and secondary production in the Mediterranean (3 hours), by Prof. R. DANOVARO, Istituto delle Scienze del Mare, Università di Ancona, Italy.

Marine pollution in the Mediterranean, marine ecosystems and their man-induced alteration (2 hours ½), by Prof. R. DANOVARO, Istituto delle Scienze del Mare, Università di Ancona, Italy.

Introduction to marine ecotoxicology and use of biomarkers (2 hours), by Dr. M. ROMEO, INSERM, Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, France.

The Algerian basin : biological production, dynamics and anthropic influence on marine environment (2 hours), by Prof. R. SERIDJI, Institut des Sciences de la Nature, Université des Sciences & Techniques Houari Boumediene, Algiers, Algeria.

New technologies for operational monitoring of the marine Mediterranean environment (2 hours), by Prof. G. CHRONIS, Institute of Oceanography, NCMR, Athens, Greece.

CONTENT OF PART II: ENVIRONNEMENT / DEVELOPMENT INTERACTIONS, FUTURE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN AND SUSTAINABLE COASTAL MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS ( 18 hours)

Anthropic pressure and future evolution of the Mediterranean Basin: prospective approach of the Blue Plan, taking into account demographic evolution, impact of industry, tourism and other human activities (1 hour ½), by Eng. G. BENOIT, Director, Plan Bleu (institution linked with UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan), Sophia Antipolis, France.

Methodology applied to integrated coastal area management in the Mediterranean (1 hour ½), by Dr Y. HENOCQUE, IFREMER, La Seyne, France.

Remote sensing and geographic information systems, tools for integrated coastal area management in the Mediterranean Basin (1 hour ½), by Prof. Fr. CAUNEAU, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, Sophia Antipolis, France.
NB - This lecture replaces a contribution of Prof. J. VAN GENDEREN, International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, Enschede (Nederlands), who provided course material for MICAM 2000 participants

The international cooperation for coastal area management in the Mediterranean (2 hours), by Prof. A. VALLEGA, IGU Vice-President, Coordinator Oceans 21 Programme, Department POLIS, Università di Genova, Italy.

Multidisciplinary approach of integrated coastal area management, with consideration of socio-economic aspects and decision making processes (3 hours ½), by Prof. S. BELFIORE, Center for the Study of Marine Policy, University of Delaware, U.S.A..
NB - This lecture replaces the initially planned contribution of Prof. B. CICIN-SAIN, Director of this institution.

Elements of marine environmental law applied to Mediterranean Basin protection (2 hours), by Prof. A. PIQUEMAL, Maritime Expert to United Nations, Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, France.

Littoral karstic aquifers: economic importance and exploitation problems (1 hour ½), by Dr E. GILLI, Geologist / Hydrogeologist, Nice, France.

The international cooperation for fisheries management in the Mediterranean: the COPEMED Project (2 hours ½), by Prof. R. ROBLES, Expert F.A.O. & Universidad Alicante, Spain.

Clean technologies applied to the Mediterranean coastal area management (2 hours),
by Dr V. MACIA, Centre for Cleaner Production (institution linked with UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan), Barcelona, Spain.

CONTENT OF PART III: CASE STUDIES RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF MEDITER- RANEAN COASTAL AREAS (15 hours for lectures, 14 hours for field courses)

Lectures related to Mediterranean case studies

Coastal oceanography in Lebanon related to prospect of coastal area sustainable management (2 hours), by Prof. H.H. KOUYOUMJIAN, Advisor for the Mediterranean, Ministry of Environment of Lebanon

Sustainable management of the Mediterranean coast of Morocco (2 hours), by Prof. A. LAOUINA, Université Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.

Evaluation of seismic risks along Mediterranean coastal zones - Implementation of a seismic monitoring network and of new technologies in the framework of an INTERREG Franco-Italian Project (1 hour ½),, by Dr F. COURBOULEX, UMR Géosciences Azur, Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, France.

Coastal planning, an essential tool for sustainable development of coastal areas: the case of Liguria (2 hours), by Prof. G. FIERRO, DIPTERIS - DIPartimento per lo studio del Territorio é delle sue Risorse -, Università di Genova, Italy.

Vulnerability of deltaic zones in northwestern coastal Mediterranean: Ebro, Rhône, Po (2 hours ½),
by Dr A. SANCHEZ-ARCILLA, International Centre for Coastal Resources Research, Universidad Polytecnica, Barcelona, Spain.

Information on coastal management in Tunisia: Projects and Programmes (2 hours), by Mrs S. SLIM (MICAM 2000 Course Participant), APAL - Agence pour la Protection et l'Aménagement du Littoral -, Tunis, Tunisia.
NB -This lecture replaces a contribution of Prof. A. EL ABED, Directeur Général, Institut National des Sciences Marines & de la Technologie, Salambo, Tunisia, who provided a document disseminated to MICAM 2000 participants, on the Tunisian experience in marine research and coastal management.

Sustainable management along a Mediterranean coastal zone: perspective of the Catalunya region (1 hour ½), by Dr P. TORRES, General Director, Planificacio Ambiantal, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain (represented by X. MARTI I RAGUE).

Beach erosion: scientific expertise and assistance to decision making. Examples related to the Western Mediterranean (1 hour ½), by Prof. R. PASKOFF, Université Lumière, Lyon, France.

Field Course 1: Visit of the Waste Water Treatment Plant of Nice-Haliotis, as an example of sustainable management of a large Mediterranean coastal town submitted to a high touristic pressure, Nice, by Denis BARRAYA, Engineer, Station Haliotis, Nice.

Field Course 2: Visit of the new Environment Laboratory in Nice, by Florence PIN, Director and Ariane FONTANA, Engineer, Laboratoire de l'Environnement de Nice-Côte d'Azur, Nice.

Field Course 3: Nice-Harbour management - Presentation of a project of harbour extension with consideration of cruise development activities and environmental impact assessment, by Laurent MONSAINGEON, Director of Nice Harbour, Stéphane ATTALI, Engineer, Manuella MACHADO, Environment Project Leader, Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de la Côte d'Azur, Nice.

Field Course 4: Mediation in an environmental conflict : management of an industrialized coastal area, Toulon Bay - Visit of Toulon Harbour and presentation of an agreement project to reconcile socio-economic development and littoral protection, with the participation of Pierre BOISSERY, Engineer, Agence de l'Eau Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse, Marseilles.

Field Course 5: Case study of a fragile sandy coastal touristic area, Gien's Peninsula, protected and managed by Conservatoire du Littoral- Visit guided by Prof. Bernard CHASSEFIERE, Sedimentologist, Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Nice.

Concluding contributions, with the participation of:

Mrs Geneviève GOURDET , President of Nice - Sophia Antipolis University , represented by Prof. Raymond NEGREL, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences

Mr. Nino GEMELLI, Euro-Deputy, Italy (Representative of Mrs Nicole FONTAINE, President of the European Parliament), who stressed attention on the need to reinforce the cooperation between European Union and Mediterranean third countries in the field of marine and coastal environment protection, and underlined that the Euro-Mediterranean partnership is an absolute priority for the European Union

Prof. Patricio BERNAL, IOC Executive Secretary / Assistant - Director General UNESCO, Paris, who remainded the major role played by the European Commission DG Research for supporting MICAM 2000, thanked Mr. Christian PATERMANN, Head of its Directorate DI "Preserving the Ecosystem" retained in Brussels by other commitments; he thanked also other sponsor institutions and highlighted
the importance of inter-institutional partnerships to carry out the MICAM 2000 initiative

Eng. Guillaume BENOIT, Director of Blue Plan, Sophia Antipolis, France (Representative of Mr. Lucien CHABASON, Coordinator of UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan, Athens)

Dr. Marc LAFAURIE, Deputy Mayor Delegate to Environment, Nice Town Council (Representative of Mr. Jacques PEYRAT, Senator-Mayor of Nice)

Mr Gérard GROSGOGEAT, Mayor of Villefranche-sur-Mer, who warmly welcomed MICAM 2000 participants and the present personalities in the historical site of the Citadel

The Course Organizers, Prof. Michel POPOFF( UNSA) and Dr Jacques MORELLI (IOC/UNESCO), who have drawn the main lessons from the MICAM 2000 Course experience.

Delivery of a Diploma to each MICAM 2000 participant and Course closing cocktail.

THE INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS FROM 20 COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN MICAM 2000 COURSE

The MICAM 2000 Course has assembled 51 participants 3rd cycle level from 20 countries, including 41 of them from 14 riparian States of Mediterranean and Black Sea:
- 28 citizens from 7 European Union countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, UK), including 22 participants from 4 EU Mediterranean countries (France, Greece, Italy, Spain),
- 6 from 5 Eastern Europe countries (Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, Russian Federation, Yugoslavia),
- 15 from 6 third Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey),
- 1 from Asia (Malaysia), and 1 from South America (Colombia).

About half of MICAM 2000 participants were young graduates from Universities and Engineering Schools, with various backgrounds covering a multidisciplinary field, including to a large extent marine and other environmental sciences. The remainder participants were professionals from sectors of environmental protection (including representatives from ministerial and associate institutions, for example Italian Ministry of Environment and Tunisian National Agency for coastal protection and planning -APAL-), higher education (such as teachers from Universities of Tunis, Oujda, Tangier, and from Rabat Engineering School), and research.
On the 51 MICAM 2000 participants, about a quarter was very fluent in the two Course languages, an other quarter more fluent in English and half of them more fluent in French (participants from Latin and Maghrebine countries and from Lebanon).
They have actively contributed to fecond discussions with lecturers and during field visits and extra time devoted to exchanges of views within the MICAM 2000 group. Their comments and suggestions concerning the Course implementation and follow up were very helpful.

A photographic illustration of MICAM 2000 participants is reproduced at the end of the present paper.

THE MAJOR LESSONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MICAM 2000 COURSE

The MICAM 2000 experience has shown that inter-institutional cooperation and synergies are essential to carry to a successful outcome a large scope interdisciplinary project dealing with integrated coastal areas management.
As regard to international institutions, the partnership between the European Commission and UNESCO has allowed to assemble in the MICAM 2000 Course participants and lecturers from European Union State members, supported by the European Commission, and participants from other countries, in particular non European Mediterranean Countries, mainly supported by UNESCO.

The announcement of MICAM 2000 Course has aroused a great interest: about 5000 visits on the Course Web Site and 130 applications from 30 countries, most of them from high level candidates. Due to the limited number of participants, it was unfortunately not possible to accept many good candidates. This situation reflects a strong need of capacity building emanating from maritime States in the field of sustainable integrated coastal zones management, especially around Mediterranean and Black Sea.
The human and scientific North/South and East/West exchanges resulting from the diversified mixing of initial backgrounds, professional experiences, projects, cultures and nationalities of MICAM 2000 participants were very fruitful.
The links established during the two weeks of the course are promising for the future and the MICAM 2000 community represents a potential network available for significant contributions to reinforce coastal environmental protection. In this respect, young graduates and professionals from France, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Tunisia involved in MICAM 2000 have expressed the wish to cooperate in the future, within case studies exercises concerning various Mediterranean coastal areas.
This has to be related to the fact that riparian countries of the Mediterranean must work together to protect this common good, and encourage appropriate initiatives in this way, including subregional and local field investigations, awareness and educative actions, with the aim to favour a sustainable use of terrestrial and marine coastal zones.

PERSPECTIVES FOR A FUTURE INTERNATIONAL CONTIBUTION TO MEDITERRANEAN SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED COASTAL AREAS MANAGEMENT

Following the Intergovernmental Conference on Oceans and Coasts at Rio + 10 convened at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development has highlighted the validity of partnership initiatives at global, regional and subregional scales, to translate into action the recommendations for an integrated management of marine and coastal areas from hilltops to oceans.
At a subregional scale within the Mediterranean Basin, a possible way for further developments after the MICAM 2000 experience could be to associate ongoing efforts of French and Italian scientists and institutions active for promoting coastal management in Provence-Côte d'Azur and contiguous Liguria.
The UMR ESPACE Research Team, linked with University of Sophia Antipolis (UNSA) and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France), has prepared a relevant preliminary project focused on sustainable management of the transboundary littoral, combining environmental and socio-economic diagnostic, assistance to decision making, awareness and education.
Contacts have been taken with a view of a possible involvement in this interdisciplinary project of other French scientists, notably from UNSA Laboratoire de l'Environnement Marin Littoral, and Italian groups well known for their international experience in coastal management : University of Genoa (Departments DIPTERIS and POLIS), and International Centre for Coastal and Ocean Studies (ICCOPS) also located in Genoa.
On the French side, concerted discussions are in progress with several regional and local authorities, including Conseil Régional de Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur, Agence de l'Eau Rhône-Mediterranée-Corse, Direction Régionale de l'Environnement (DIREN), Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes, and Communauté d'Agglomération de Nice Côte d'Azur (CANCA, Nice Town and adjacent areas new administration), which cooperate to implement coastal management strategies and could be partners in the project.
The possibility to get a French inter-institutional financial contribution is under consideration, as well as the idea to submit a proposal for a support from the INTERREG European Programme dedicated to transboundaries cooperations, if Italian concerned administrations are also interested to contribute for funding the project.
Taking into account the stakes of reinforcing environmental protection and sustainable development along French and Italian Riviera, regions where the international tourism is of a high socio-economic importance, it seems that the project should have a good chance to be successful.
It has also to be noted that the Secretariat of the RAMOGE international Agreement, which links France, Italy and the Principality of Monaco for reinforcing marine and coastal protection in the geographical zone including Liguria, Monaco and the Provence-Côte d'Azur, could take part in this initiative.
One of the aims considered in the project is to use existing available data in order to contribute to make a diagnostic on the state of marine and terrestrial littoral environment, socio-economic development and their interactions, in two coastal areas case studies, one located on French Riviera and another on neighbouring Liguria.
Concerning awareness and educational actions planned in the project, it seems suitable to present the Franco-Italian know how for coastal management during workshops assembling in France and Italy not only bilateral participants, but also representatives from various Mediterranean riparian States, including developing countries. This could be an opportunity for fruitful international exchanges of experience on sustainable integrated coastal management strategies, case studies and problems to be solved in this field around Mediterranean.
A possible involvement of UNESCO as project partner for the organisation of these workshops, in particular at the level of IOC and its relevant programmes (ICAM - Integrated Coastal Areas Management - and TEMA - Training, Education and Mutual Assistance -), should be explored in a near future, as well as a possible partnership with UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan.
In this perspective, the implementation of the project could significantly contribute to strengthen North/South Euro-Mediterranean cooperation for coastal environment protection and sustainable development, which has important implications for life quality, stability and peace in the Mediterranean Basin.

Acknowledgements

The MICAM 2000 organizers are very grateful to lecturers, managerial staff of field visits and international participants for their active involvement in the Course, and for their contribution to stimulating and fruitful exchanges. They acknowledge the European Commission DG Research, and Mr. Christian PATERMANN, Head of its Directorate DI "Preserving the Ecosystem", - main sponsor of the Course -, UNESCO (IOC and CSI) for its significant support, other partner institutions which have co-sponsored MICAM 2000, and the personalities present or represented at the opening and closing sessions. The Course organizers are greatly indebted to Mr Patricio BERNAL, IOC Executive Secretary / ADG UNESCO, for the interest shown to carry out MICAM 2000 challenge. They thank Mrs Geneviève GOURDET, President of Nice - Sophia Antipolis University, for the efficient support of the host institution, and IOC Staff, UNESCO and European Commission administrations for their helpful contribution.

Photo of international participants involved in MICAM 2000 Course