Sound environmental management tries to establish a non-destructive relation between human activities and natural systems.

This means more than cleaning up oil slicks after tanker spills, keeping rare fish and dolphins in a public aquarium, or banning pesticides. It means taking steps to avoid pollution, degradation of our environment, and irreversible damage which squanders scarce and limited resources.

The Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the 1972 Stockholm meeting that led to the founding of UNEP, pointed out: "Through fuller knowledge and wiser action, we can achieve for ourselves and our posterity a better life in an environment more in keeping with human needs and hopes."

Integrated approach

Effective environmental management based on sound principles requires that we tackle the problems of the coastal zone from a number of directions: we must understand the nature of the problems and the constraints which prevent a proper solution to them. We must investigate both the potential environmental impact of major development activities and ways to reduce the harmful effects. We must recognize the limitations of previous methods of coastal development, and the need to institutionalize the coastal management process, bringing together a multidisciplinary effort that incorporates a multitude of environmental factors (population patterns, fisheries, tourism, waste disposal, oil pollution, agricultural practices, etc.).

Thus "INTEGRATED coastal management", (also known as integrated coastal zone management/ICZM, integrated coastal area management/ICAM) has become the preferred approach to sustainable development and resource use of coastal areas.

Dr. Ahmed A. Barrania , writing in Al Sambouk, defines it thus: "ICZM is both a process and an institutional framework. It involves the establishment of a legal structure within which cross-sectoral planning takes place at a national and a local level. The planning process itself involves data collection, analysis and the establishment of national, regional and local development guidelines. When integrated into the national framework, the cooperation and coordination between different sectoral agencies with competing interests in the coastal zone, will allow for the development of plans that reduce conflicts. This will enhance sustainable development while protecting the country's natural resources and habitats." (Al Sambouk 9).

UNEP is currently developing guidelines for Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM).

The Mediterranean example

From the earliest days of the Regional Seas Programme, environmental management has been a key chapter of the regional action plans. The Mediterranean Action Plan provided a clear example when, in tackling water pollution, states agreed to abide by water quality standards rather than control emissions at source, a compromise that avoided penalizing the developing nations still building up their industries. They only need to worry about the quantity of effluents when these reach the coastal waters: a workable compromise that has born results.

A refocusing of the programme on environmentally sound integrated planning and management of coastal zones, proposed by UNEP in 1987, gave greater prominence to the management of coastal areas in the Mediterranean and integrated more closely the various components of the action plan. Programmes on several coastal zone management projects for particular sites were subsequently launched.

In 1997 the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention adopted the Strategic Action Programme to address pollution from land-based activities, which aims at improving the quality of the marine environment by improved shared management of land-based pollution.

The Caribbean approach

Another regional programme that has taken great strides in defining their approach to coastal zone management is the Caribbean, where some 40% of the human population resides within two kilometers of the coast.

The programme's prescription for successful integrated management includes a strong legal and institutional framework, an established coordinating mechanism, strong cooperation within existing agencies and departments, Universities to supply personnel and as a vehicle for research and training, active non-governmental organizations and community based management initiatives, and long term budgetary support for local agencies. A management plan should incorporate the following elements: a resource inventory, marine protected areas, careful planning of development that takes land-sea interactions into account, Environmental Impact Assessments for major development projects, measures for pollution control based on a monitoring and assessment programme and supported by legislation, public education and the involvement of coastal communities.

Read more on the Caribbean website.

Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden

Environmental management underpins PERSGA's Strategic Action Programme, which states that "Many of the threats which have been identified are related to a lack of planning and management of development in the coastal zone, limited use of environmental assessment procedures in making investment decisions, and the inadequate enforcement of existing laws. Living marine resources need to be managed effectively so that their long-term sustainable use is assured. Reducing the risks of navigation accidents will eliminate an additional threat to the marine environment. The management of coastal tourism and increased public awareness about the value of the marine environment will promote habitat and resource conservation. Areas in which management is hampered by a lack of information can be addressed by appropriate applied research."

About ICZM in particular, it says "Throughout the Region adoption of ICZM to support development decisions could significantly decrease unnecessary degradation of coastal and marine environments. This is especially important for long-term development of high value local and international tourism and for maintenance of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the coastal zone. Coastal zone management concerns can be addressed in a cost-effective manner through integration into land use planning; preparation of environmental assessments and environmental audits; processes for issuing licenses and permits for activities in the coastal zone; decisions on the siting of public and private facilities; and monitoring of development trends and environmental impacts."

PERSGA and ALECSO (Arab League Education, Cultural and Scientific Organization) recently held a Regional Training Workshop on Integrated Coastal Zone Management at Port Sudan during the period 21-25 June 1998.

Read more about ICZM in Al Sambouk #8, Al Sambouk #9 and Al Sambouk #10

Coastal zone management links: Wider Caribbean