Abstract
This paper aims to investigate the state of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), which is justified as a strategy for managing coastal resources with respect to increasing pressures from tourism, farming, climate change, urbanization, population growth, etc. In the case of island states, the impact of tourism and second-home development is paramount. The use of coastal areas as commons and ICZM as a governance strategy have been established for a long time; however, the implementation of ICZM has remained a challenge due to the forces of global mass tourism and unsustainable resource use in island states. This study focused on views of the coastal communities in North Cyprus, who are in constant interaction with coastal ecosystems for their livelihood. For the analytical purpose of the study, 251 survey questionnaires were administered to eight communities along the coastal areas. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistical analysis with a post hoc test. Socio-ecological systems (SES) and Ostrom’s collective action principles guided the study as the main theoretical frameworks. The study revealed that the ICZM strategy has been neglected and coastal communities are not invited to be involved in any form of ICZM. Furthermore, the study revealed the tourism development has been the major activity of the Anthropocene in coastal areas without a proactive coastal development strategy that is supposed to consider the vulnerability of coastal ecosystems. Practical and theoretical implications are also discussed.
Highlights
Coastal ecosystems are one of the most productive yet highly threatened ecosystems in the world [1,2,3]
This study investigated coastal communities’ perceptions in the case of North Cyprus, which is highly dependent on tourism since tourism in North Cyprus is highly based on coastal resources [108,109]
To contribute to our understanding of coastal governance based on the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) framework, we employed SESs and Ostrom’s collective action principles as theoretical backdrops
Summary
Coastal ecosystems are one of the most productive yet highly threatened ecosystems in the world [1,2,3]. The world’s coastal zones represent some of the most diverse and productive ecological and social systems. 69), highlighted that ‘as a result of a burgeoning population, human activities such as fishing, aqua-culture, oil and gas exploitation, tourism, agriculture, coastal development and shipping continue to put considerable pressure on the world’s ocean and coastal environment’. Communities in different coastal regions are at the forefront of coastal environments, which are affected by coastal vulnerability to tourism, climate change, erosion, population growth, and overall development. In the case of island states, mass tourism as their economic backbone applies further pressure to limited coastal zones and surrounding communities. ‘In addition to having limited resources, in the island states, the economic and social activities tend to be concentrated in coastal areas and interconnectivity between the economic, environmental, social, cultural and political spheres is highly pervasive’ [6] ‘In addition to having limited resources, in the island states, the economic and social activities tend to be concentrated in coastal areas and interconnectivity between the economic, environmental, social, cultural and political spheres is highly pervasive’ [6] (p. 1)
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