The need for Integrated Coastal Management and the benefits of its implementation

Ivica Trumbic, Marina Radic

UNEP/MAP, PAP/RAC (EU)

Abstract

Integrated coastal area management (ICAM) is today an affirmed discipline throughout the world. A large number of countries made efforts towards the management of their most valuable resource - coastal space. An important impulse to those efforts was provided by the Adoption of the Agenda 21 at the United Nations conference in Rio in 1992, the Chapter 17 of which is completely dedicated to the oceans and coastal areas. A similar document was adopted by the Mediterranean countries in a conference in Tunis in 1994. Today, in 173 countries of the world that have access to the sea, more than 700 planning/management interventions are being carried out aiming at sustainable development of coastal areas. There is a consensus regarding the definition of ICAM. It is a continuous, proactive and adaptive process of resource management for sustainable development in coastal areas. It is based on a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach, problem solution within "sectors" instead of transferring them to other "sectors", participation of all interested parties, and integration among sectors, institutions and levels of authority. ICAM requires a comprehensive understanding of relations among coastal resources, their use and the impact of development on economy and environment.

There is a wide agreement that the benefits from ICAM, inter alia, are the following: contribution to sustainable use of coastal resources; provision of guidelines for development and spatial planning; creation of opportunities for sustainable economic growth; conservation and development of natural habitats and biodiversity; pollution control; safety from natural hazards; solution of conflicts among the users of coastal resources; etc. That ICAM can be a successful catalyst of economic growth is confirmed by the fact that considerable financial support to the project based on the use of ICAM as the principal implementation tool is provided by the World Bank, regional development banks, UNEP, FAO, UNDP, European Union, GEF, and others.

The seminar will consist of the three building blocks:

1. The importance of coastal resources, coastal areas and the need for their integrated management
2. The process of integrated coastal area management: principles, benefits, institutions, legislation and financing
3. The coastal area management projects: design, implementation and tools

The seminar will be an interactive exercise. The lecturers will provide an introduction while the participants will be encouraged to be active in presenting their views on the issues that will be presented.

The major means of communication will be the PowerPoint presentations. A set of relevant documents will be distributed to the participants.