The Strategic Challenges in Integrated Coastal Zone Management - Term Paper Example

Coastal Zone Management Name Class Unit Introduction Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a concept that was developed in the 1980s. The concept was elaborated and implicitly defined at the Charleston Workshop in 1989 and gained international scene during the Rio Earth Summit that was held in 1992. Since then, there have been immense efforts to refine the concept, understand it and implement. The concept has been adopted as a vital paradigm in ensuring sustainable development of the coastal zones. The coastal zones are defined by the territorial waters based on a high water mark. The main aim of ICZM is to make sure that there is a development and management of the coastal zones and minimise conflicts and harmful effects on the zones. ICZM also ensures that coastal zones are able to maximise the benefits they offer (Godschalk, 2010). This paper is based on coastal zone planning on Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla Shire in Australia. The paper addresses the strategic challenges in ICZM with an aim of coming up with ideas for successful coastal management and development. The report will also come up with an ideal strategy for the decision making process. The paper identifies issues which include population, economic, land, infrastructure and public transport issues. Population issue Coastal areas comprises of 20% of the earth’s surface. It is also estimated that almost 50% of the human beings within a 200 km range from the coast. The coastal ecosystem has a high biological diversity making them highly productive. Coastal systems also support a lot of business such as mining tourism, shipping, oil and aquaculture. This makes the coastal zone to be of very high economic productivity (Phillips & Jones, 2006). The rising population is a major issue facing the costal zones. This is due to fact that densely populated coastal zones have a lot of pressure on the regions finite system and resources (Sharma, 2009). It is estimated that 48% of the fish stock in the coastal areas have been fully exploited while 28% have been depleted. Rising population in the coastal zones leads to pollution. Overdevelopment of the coastal zones has been increasing the pressure on the marine areas. There is huge impact on the seascapes and landscapes which makes it hard to access the foreshore (Godschalk, 2010). Economic activities in the coastal areas have a great importance on the coastal population and economy. Despite this, large multitudes of these activities have a detrimental effect on the coastal zone habitat and the quality of the area. Case study Eurobodalla shire is located in the South Coast of the New South Wales. The area is 300 km from Sydney Australia. Shire coastline extends for 112 kilometres. Most of the population is located on the coastal fringe and near rivers and lakes. Eurobodalla have 35 intermittently closed lakes and Lagoons. The Local Government Area also has three coastal rivers which have catchments in excess of 1,500km2. Due to the closeness to Canberra, the Shire has a lot of investments. The Shire has a significant aging population, high unemployment, low household incomes and low growth rate. This imposes a great constraint to the LGA. Tourism is the most crucial and the primary industry. This makes it vital for the LGA to ensure they engage in coastal zone management (Wainwright et al., 2014). Shoalhaven have a coastline which extends for 165 km to the North Durras. The coastline has been under serious threats from wave energy, recreational amenities and other coastal processes. The council have been under a lot of pressure to ensure that the coastal area is well managed for maximum benefit and sustainability. Shoalhaven is among the areas which have drafted comprehensive coastal management plans. The council have identified the areas at risk from coastal hazards and come up with ways to ensure that they are protected. Private and public assets at Mollymook, Calala beach are under serious threat from coastal erosion (Caton, 2010). Coastal erosion and flooding The impacts of climate change are now recognised as a major threat to coastal zones (Nicholls & Cazenave, 2010). The impacts are becoming severe which includes flooding in the coastal areas. The impacts of storms are severe on both Shire and Shoalhaven. Research on climate change points out those coastal areas that have been mismanaged risks having frequent floods and erosion problems (McGranahan, Balk & Anderson, 2007). Economic activities Recreational and tourism Coastal areas such as Shire and Shoalhaven rely heavily on tourism. The quality and diversity of the coastal environment are the main drive for thriving tourism business. The high number of tourists threatens the sustainability of the coastal marine environment. The support of the property schemes along the coastline for tourism has also contributed to ad hoc investments which in some cases have not helped in boosting tourism revenues (Hamin & Gurran, 2011). Coastal industries Industries located in the coastal areas contribute to pollution. There are pharmaceutical industries which are based on the coastlines. The demand for expansion has led to damage to the habitats and harbours along the coastal zones. The existing competition in the coastal zones is between leisure activities and shipping. There are also maintenance activities such as dredging which have disturbed and contaminated the coastal areas (Caton, 2010). Fishing and aquaculture Poor coastal zone management presents serious concerns on the fisheries. There has been depletion of some fish stocks while others have been seriously overfished. There has been an increase in the aquaculture industries. With the increase, there is need to balance the development of the aquaculture industry with the protection of the coastal habitats. The loss of sea scape due to expansion of the aquaculture is a major cause of conflict with the tourism industry (Hamin & Gurran, 2011). Offshore resources Overexploitation of the coastal resources has a negative impact on the coastal region. The activities include offshore oil and gas exploitation. There are cases of accidental spills and pollution during the exploitation activities. The demand for sand and gravel from the coastal areas presents another major issue. There are also constructions of wind farm sites. All these offshore developments have a great impact on the herring spawning grounds, migratory birds as well as the salmon migratory routes (Sharma, 2009). Addressing the issues As outlined, coastal activities have an impact on the sustainable coastal development. For the coastal zone to attain sustainable management, economic achievements have to reconcile with protection for the environment. Based on the Rio Earth Summit, the concept of ICZM has been able to gain prominence. Coastal areas are expected to have a balanced use of the marine areas. This is through coming up with an integrated policy and well formulated decision making process. The following section addresses how Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla shire are addressing the issue (Wainwright et al., 2014). Infrastructure Construction of a sea wall was set in Mollymook beach have already been completed. Shoalhaven have been able to come up with the wall that can provide safety from coastal hazards. This is a project that requires a lot investment to protect it. Due to design constraints, the council have assumed that the design may not require protection. This exposes the structure to damage in case of storm. There has been construction of conventional basalt rock revetment. The cost of the infrastructure is high but the government have been putting adequate measures to ensure that they have secure coastal zones. Another sea wall protection project is carried out at Calala beach. There is also beach nourishment programmes. These programmes are carried out through the dredging campaigns and use of additional materials from entrances such as Lake Conjola (Wainwright et al., 2014). Data base Eurobodalla council have already come up with an evidence base. This identifies the areas of risks and hazards such as erosion, sand drift and coastal cliff stability among others. The collected information has helped the council in coming up with ways of combating issues related to coastal zones (Leigh & Chen, 2006). Community engagement In 2010, LGA council came up with the coastal management advisory committee. The main aim was to give advice on the issues facing LGA in managing the extensive coastline. The community was made up of the aborigines, scientific community, business and assisted by the staff from LGA (Caton, 2010). Planning for coastal hazards The council have come up with a risk and hazed assessment scheme. This has helped to identify the areas that are under coastal risks (Leigh & Chen, 2006). Reducing coastal flooding risks LGA council have already mapped areas that are under risk of rising sea level. The land that is under the coastline hazards is already mapped. The council aims at ensuring that the building designs are able to meet a 100 years building life. This is for all residential houses while the commercial developments must comply with 50 year design building life. All property owners are expected to help in reducing the risk. This is through use of engineered property protection (Sharma, 2009). Planning strategy While implementing the ICM, it is important to note that coastlines are different. This leads to differing approaches in dealing with coastal zones. This is as evidenced by the management of Shoalhaven and Shire. A well implemented ICZM strategy has several iterative stages which forms a cycle. The stages are; identification of the issue, preparing the plan, funding, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (Hamin & Gurran, 2011). Identifying the issues is the first step of an ICZM. These are the issues that the plan drafted will solve. This is through involvement of the community and other stakeholders. The next step is preparing the plan. The plan must outline all the objectives of the ICZM programme. After the objectives, the plan defines the directions and comes up with plan institutional arrangements. The objectives form a fundamental component in a program. The objectives must be accompanied with a vision. The plan can include vertical, horizontal or international integration. It is vital to plan institutional arrangements in order to sustain the ICZM efforts and strengthen the integration and coordination (Sharma, 2009). Protecting the coastal zones requires a multidisciplinary effort including the government public and the private sectors. The strategy adopted is expected to acquire the land or easements for conservation from those willing to protect the coastal zones. The strategy supports the government through a comprehensive planning, identification of habitat, funding and outreach. Coastal zone management may invoke range of responses such as construction of sea walls, dykes, enhancing coastal infrastructure and relocation of population (French, 2005). There is also need to have early warning systems and insurance. Vibrant and resilient coastal communities The communities living at the coast forms a very vital part of the economy. The population in these areas continues to grow putting more pressure on the coastal regions. The governments have a role to ensure that they minimise the harm inflicted to the coastal regions which is already venerable. This is through ensuring that the coastal communities are resilient to the expected natural hazards and sustainable. Through adopting the right strategies, the coastal communities can become vibrant and resilient. The coastal communities should be directed in making development to the appropriate areas (French, 2005). There is need for support for the local communities through giving them management tool, technical assistance and social economic information which will lead to better planning and informed land use. A well formulated planning strategy must be able to enhance public awareness of the existing coastal hazards and how to avoid them. The recreational facilities in the coastal areas should be upgraded and new ones added based on the ICZM guidelines (Gurran, Hamin & Norman, 2008). Recommendations Coastal zones are complex hence the strategy will take a wide perspective. The strategy adopted must address all systems that have a significant influence on the coastal zones dynamics. The strategy is also expected to take into context the geographical extent of the coastal zones. National ICZM strategies should be able to reflect innovativeness, proactive, comprehensive and should be integrated. The strategy proposed is supposed to address all sectors since they are important in an ecosystem. The strategies should also be reviewed on a regular basis based on the changing conditions. In addition to being harmonised with the levels of government, ICM strategies should have ownership from the community, civil societies and the government. This is through a wider engagement and capacity building. Communication is vital in a successful ICZM strategy. This is due to fact that smooth flow of communication enables the stakeholders and the community to come up with solutions to the problems. This implies that the strategy documents should avoid being too technical and the language should be clear (Gurran, Hamin & Norman, 2008). Conclusion Coastal zones have been under threat from increasing populations and human activities that are taking place in the areas. There is also climate change which has led to storms and damage to the regions. In Australia, Shire and Shoalhaven are two coastal areas that have taken initiative to ensure that they protect the coastal regions. Through adoption of ICZM, the areas have been able to map areas under threat and come up with strategies to save them. A well drafted plan is vital in implementing ICZM. This helps in ensuring that all areas under risk are addressed and acted upon. The strategy being used should take a wide perspective and be integrated. There is need to ensure that the strategies are reviewed on a regular basis. The strategies should be owned by the community, government and civil societies. Also, the strategy must be easy to understand. Lastly, the strategy must include a well formulated decision making strategy for it to be successful. References Caton, B. 2010, Coastal management in Australia. University of Adelaide Press. French, P. W. 2005, “Coastal zone management”. In Encyclopedia of Coastal Science (pp. 313- 319). Springer Netherlands. Godschalk, D. R. 2010, Coastal Zone Management. Marine Policy & Economics: A Derivative of the Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences, p.44. Gurran, N., Hamin, E., & Norman, B. 2008, Planning for climate change: Leading practice principles and models for sea change communities in coastal Australia. University of Sydney, Faculty of Architecture Design & Planning. Hamin, E. M., & Gurran, N. 2011, Planning for climate change in coastal Australia: State of practice.” Report No. 4 for the Australian Sea Change Task Force. Leigh, R., & Chen, K. 2006, A national coastal vulnerability study. Report prepared for the Insurance Council of Australia. Risk Frontiers Report, Macquarie University. McGranahan, G., Balk, D., & Anderson, B. 2007, “The rising tide: assessing the risks of climate change and human settlements in low elevation coastal zones”, Environment and urbanization, Vol.19, no.1, p.17-37. Nicholls, R. J., & Cazenave, A. 2010, “Sea-level rise and its impact on coastal zones,” science, Vol. 328, no.5985, p.1517-1520. Phillips, M. R., & Jones, A. L. 2006, “Erosion and tourism infrastructure in the coastal zone: Problems, consequences and management,” Tourism Management, Vol.27, no.3, p.517- 524. Sharma, P. 2009, Coastal Zone Management, Global India Publications. Wainwright, D., Lord, D.,Watson, P., Lenehan, N., Ghetti, I.2014, “Sea Level Projections for the Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla Coast”, Coastal Conference, Retrieved from, http://www.coastalconference.com/2014/papers2014/David%20Wainwright%20Full%20 Paper.pdf Read More