Outcome and Follow up of a Contribution to Promote Education and Capacity Building for Mediterranean Coastal Areas Management (MICAM 2000 International Training Initiative)

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

(1) UMR 6012 ESPACE, UFR Espaces et Cultures, University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis (FR)
(2) UMR 6526 Géosciences Azur, Faculty of Sciences, University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis (FR)
(3) Scientific Co-Directors of MICAM 2000 Advanced Study Course

Further to the major international Conference on Integrated Coastal Zone Management held on May 25-29, 1998 in Genova (Italy), an Advanced Study Course in this field has been organized in Nice (France) from 4 to 15 September 2000, with focus on the Mediterranean Basin. This English/French bilingual training course called MICAM 2000 - Mediterranean Integrated Coastal Areas Management - was launched as a joint initiative of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) and the University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis.

The European Commission (5th R & D Framework Programme, Sector Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, DG Research, Directorate D1 " Preserving the Ecosystems ") 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 developing countries. It was also co-sponsored by UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan, Conseil Régional de Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur, Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes and Nice City 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 a multidisciplinary 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 associated research.

This educative action has assembled 28 lecturers from 10 countries, 23 of them from European Union and 51 participants from 21 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.

The 62 hours of lectures presented at the MICAM 2000 course were structured as follows:

• 24 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 appropriate action for coastal zone management requires a good understanding of complex natural processes occuring along the Mediterranean coasts;
• 23 hours devoted to impacts of human activities on coastal marine and terrestrial environment, to prospective scenarii including the demographic evolution around the Mediterranean and to responses in terms of integrated coastal management and associated legal regulations and international agreements to favour sustainable development;
• 15 hours for cases studies in various Mediterranean countries, including investigations on coastal erosion, vulnerability of deltaic areas facing sea level rise risks, monitoring of seismic risks, and examples of regional coastal planning strategies.

In addition to lectures, 14 hours of field visits were programmed, in order to present practical examples of coastal management on the French Riviera, with focus on clean technologies for water waste treatment and on mediation in environmental conflicts aiming to prepare contractual agreements to better balance socio-economic development and littoral protection.

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. This situation reflects a strong requirement of maritime states to implement integrated coastal zones management strategies, 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, taking into account the experience of the city of Genova in promoting coastal management. In this way, a demonstration project on sustainable management of the transboundary littoral combining environmental and socio-economic diagnostic, assistance to decision making and education is under consideration, with a view to get a financial support. Concerning educational aspects, the Franco-Italian know how for coastal management could be presented during a workshop open to representatives from Mediterranean riparian countries. This could be an input to strengthen North-South Euro-Mediterranean partnership for sustainable development, which has important implications for life quality, stability and peace in the Mediterranean Basin.