Integrated Coastal Zone Management Implementation Research Articles

How to Solve the Gap between Science and Policy in the Coastal Management of Mediterranean Countries

The gap between Science and Policy is one of the main problems affecting the implementation of a sound coastal zone management in Mediterranean countries. Really, littoral and marine ecosystems supply a lot of environmental services, that are actually exposed to many natural and anthropic risks, influencing the ecological status of coastal areas. So, in the Mediterranean basin, it has been introduced on 2002 a participatory process named Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) to address scientific and political efforts towards a right marine policy. To highlight the lacking connection between the scientific approach to coastal management and the current inertia of policy actors, it has been presented a typical case study tested in a marine protected area located on the western seaside of the Calabria region (Southern Italy). The innovative framework proposed by this paper highlights the fundamental role of widespread public knowledge to bridge the gaps, still existing, between Science and Policy. By this way, it is suggested a new conceptual pattern able to connect the two cornerstones of ICZM program through mutual interactions mediated by knowledge processes. So, it is hoped for an adaptive co-management of coastal zones based on a close collaboration between scientists, policy makers, stakeholders and public opinion into a socio-ecological “governance” of coastal regions. Finally, it is necessary to involve all private and public subjects to develop a continuous dialogue for an effective ICZM implementation in Mediterranean countries.

Assessing the State of ICZM in an Island Tourist Destination—Applying SESs and Ostrom’s Collective Action Principles: A View from Coastal Communities

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.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Kuwait: A Knowledge-Based System Model

A coastal environment is intrinsically multifaceted and active, making its management challenging. Development and natural processes could affect a coastal environment, and so reliable efforts need to be implemented to preserve this environment and ensure coastal integrity. Inadequate control of stakeholders’ activities worldwide and developmental projects are degrading coastal areas. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a holistic management approach used to sustainably plan human activity within coastal zones. ICZM is being implemented in several countries to maintain a balance between social-economic development and environmental preservation. This research aims to develop a knowledge-based system that facilitates the implementation of an ICZM framework in Kuwait. The proposed system is an “Integrated Coastal Zone Management: Knowledge-Based System” (ICZM-KBS), which is a tool created using C# programing language. The tool supports the application of ICZM strategies to safeguard coastal areas. The system is designed to provide comprehensive means to raise awareness about the misuse of coastal zones, provide, identify, and collate critical environmental data, assess risks to be faced, and anticipate the development capacity of the coastal zone. An ICZM-KBS allows stakeholders involved in coastal zones to manage and mitigate risks associated with development projects to achieve sustainable development. The system was tested using a case study provided by Kuwait Environment Public Authority (EPA) experts, and it was found to be reliable and important to facilitate the ICZM implementation in Kuwait. Overall, this research focused on developing an ICZM-KBS, encouraging more sustainable marine space use safeguarding the coastal environment.

International Development Policies and Coastalscape Metabolism: The Case of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Over the last few decades, coastalscapes have been seriously threatened by the rising effects of climate change such as sea level rise, coastal degradation and extreme flooding. To cope with these threats, since 1992, international development organisations have promoted Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and its implementation in particular in coastal regions of the “Global South”. Inspired by a political ecology of development approach, this paper analyses coastalscape metabolism and community level socio-environmental transformations in relation to ICZM implementation politics in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. ICZM was designed to integrate management of coastal regions and to promote socio-economic and environmental sustainability. By adopting the concept of metabolism to coastalscapes, and reflecting on their interactions, data were collected through qualitative field-research at the community level in the Mekong Delta. Research shows that ICZM and its development initiatives implementation slightly shaped coastalscape governance and communities relations, merely influencing policy-making and state bureaucratic structure and legitimation. Rather, the Mekong Delta coastalscape was reconfigured by complex metabolic socio-environmental transformations which embed global political-economic processes, shifting water flows and climate change dynamics.

Policy and Regulations to Support the Implementation of Coastal Conservation and ICZM: Comparative Analysis between Indonesia and France

Coastal is a very potential area for a variety of development options. The increase of population and its activities will be able to threaten the existence and sustainability of ecosystems and coastal resources, marine and small islands. Therefore, the policy on coastal conservation is required. This research analyses the comparison of the implementation of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) between France and Indonesia focusing on policy and regulations. The objectives are to get an insight on the coastal conservation policies implemented in Indonesia and France and to learn experiences. This research also uses the literatures review and analytical descriptions as methodology. The findings demonstrate that both countries objectives for coastal management are to achieve sustainable development.

Coastal zone – Terra (and aqua) incognita – Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Black Sea

In the Black Sea coastal states (Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, and Ukraine), Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) has no properly established legal and institutional framework. The term “coastal zone” is undefined in national (reportedly with the exception of Bulgaria) and regional legislative documents. The interface between science and policy within ICZM remains poorly developed. Policies for streamlining efforts have been ill-managed and decisions taken in functional zoning and the balanced use and protection of coastal zones have often been shown to be incorrect. The observed proliferation of consultative committees and councils has not been much helpful, public participation has been widely neglected. Illegal practices are in place, and coastal developments continue being largely unsustainable. These problems are often explained by the low awareness of ICZM benefits, and hence, a shortage of political good will, but also by the lack of appropriate Black Sea scientific research, which would ensure a fundamental knowledge-base. There are hundreds of organizations involved in collection of data and information of relevance for ICZM, although there is a distinct lack of coordination. Consequently, there is a substantial overlap of activities, whilst important scientific and policy questions remain unanswered.We review the status of ICZM or mismanagement (ICZmisM) in the Black Sea region, building links between environmental problems and policy measures in response, and providing appropriate examples. Recommendations are put forward with regard to major gaps in ICZM at levels of its theoretical development and practical implementation within the region. The review is intended to remind of major disastrous consequences of present complacency and laissez-faire in the management of the Black Sea. This paper calls for urgent implementation of ICZM in the Black Sea at national and regional levels.

Capacity Development for Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Egypt

Since 1990 there has been a considerable increase in the number of developing countries undertaking Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) schemes at both the local and national levels. Unfortunately many of these ICZM schemes have failed to be implementated due to difficulties such as information and communication gaps and restricted technical and financial capacity. Common problems experienced across all developing countries. As a case in point, it is argued that developing countries suffer from capabilities at the local institutional level. Similarly, it is advocated that Mediterranean developing countries have not fully implemented ICZM as a result of lack of stakeholder capacity. Egypt provides a case study of this argument. Since the mid-1990s several attempts have been made to promote ICZM in Egypt, however none have achieved their goal of having an ICZM plan become operational. This paper reviews ICZM processes in Egypt focussing on the capacity of all instituions and key stakeholders to plan and implement ICZM based on interviews with key ICZM key stakeholders as well as documentary analysis and participant observation in ICZM meetings. It seeks through a critical evaluation to provide practical recommendations that serve to enhance the implementation of ICZM in Egypt and other developing countries.

The difficult road to Integrated Coastal Zone Management implementation in Italy: Evidences from the Italian North Adriatic Regions

This work examines the evolution of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) concepts implementation in the Italian North Adriatic Regions: Marche, Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia between 2006 and 2011. In order to achieve such an objective a web-based survey has been realized and addressed to the different local and regional authorities that are competent, with different status and legal powers over coastal management. The study shows that in the considered area, although some improvements have been recorded, thanks to the transposition into the Italian legislative framework of EU provisions and above all, to local and regional efforts and initiatives, ICZM concepts are still far from being widely adopted. The weakest points reported are the fragmentation and poor coordination of the coastal management framework; the low attention given to economic data monitoring and stakeholders involvement. Furthermore, the lack of political support in the medium-long term and the availability of funds as well as the absence of monitoring and assessment strategies hinder the establishment of sustainable ICZM practices in the area. The findings of the study are then compared with other Countries, in order to draw conclusions on the barriers to ICZM implementation.

Participatory integrated coastal zone management in Vietnam: Theory versus practice case study: Thua Thien Hue province

Sustainable management processes have undergone a shift from a top-down approach to a bottom-up approach. This bottom-up approach allows for a more apprehensive inclusion of stakeholders. In traditional hierarchical societies a combination of both is considered more desirable. This combination is described as a participatory approach that allows for bi-directional knowledge sharing. The question asked is whether this theoretical approach is viable in practice, taking into account different social, political and cultural influences. Qualitative research in bi-directional knowledge sharing and stakeholder participation in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) was conducted in the provinces of Thua Thien Hue in Vietnam. Qualitative research was conducted using coding analysis. This analysis showed that in practice a great reluctance for change affects the implementation of ICZM. This reluctance is directly related to the level of power of stakeholders and the level to which stakeholders are embedded in the top-down tradition. Two contradicting results emerged. On the one hand the theoretical understanding of participatory ICZM is highest when reluctance for change is highest and vice versa. On the other hand a decrease in power results in an increase of the sustainability of the implementation of participatory ICZM. This research concluded that a ‘platform or structure’ is essential to achieve sustainability. In the Vietnamese context the tradition of power results in a platform which is both formal and non-formal. A non-formal platform is needed to create social capital, whereas a formal platform will limit the risk for arbitrariness and allow for institutionalisation.

Environmental discourses: Understanding the implications on ICZM protocol implementation in two Mediterranean deltas

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) protocol for the Mediterranean basin provides a common strategy for coastal management that is applicable to all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the regionalization of ICZM policy, previous studies have shown that ICZM is being implemented differently across the Mediterranean basin. The differences in ICZM implementation could be attributed to the different environmental discourses that are embedded in the perceptions and socio-cultural values in each site. This study analyzed the differences in environmental discourses as they apply to ICZM policy in two Mediterranean Deltas (Rhone Delta in southern France and Gediz Delta in Western Turkey). A cross-section of 39 (Rhone Delta) and 54 (Gediz Delta) participants contributed to a survey questionnaire. Qualitative and quantitative techniques provided insights into complex relationships between environmental ideals, ideologies and practice in the adoption of ICZM principles. The results demonstrated incorporation of ICZM in environmental discourse in both sites with distinct differences in ICZM strategies. Differences in environmental discourses have implications for applying the ICZM protocol. The identification of these differences provides a more effective focus for conservation strategies accounting for specific context.

Procesos de manejo costero integrado en Ecuador y Sri Lanka: Una perspectiva de comparación

Ecuador (en 1989) y Sri Lanka (en 1990) empezaron sus procesos de Manejo Costero Integrado - MCI utilizando fondos de la misma Cooperación Internacional y asesoramiento y evaluación de la misma universidad extranjera. Tomando en cuenta estas similitudes y que ambos son países tropicales en vía de desarrollo se efectuó un análisis comparativo entre ambos. A través del modelo conceptual de ciclos de MCI sugerido por GESAMP y una amplia revisión bibliográfica y documental sobre la temática, fueron analizados ambos procesos de MCI, a fin de entender sus fortalezas y debilidades para fomentar nuevos procesos de MCI, así como también evaluar el uso del modelo conceptual de GESAMP como herramienta de análisis. Lo que en principio parecían procesos similares, en la práctica fueron muy distintos. Ecuador presentó un proceso más orientado a la participación desde el comienzo, mientras Sri Lanka solamente en la tercera generación logró integrar aproximaciones participativas. De otro lado, Sri Lanka tuvo un proceso más ordenado y centrado en desarrollo institucional, estableciendo primero un marco institucional que sirviera de base al comienzo del proceso de MCI. Ambos países han alcanzado resultados de primer orden (cambios institucionales), de segundo orden (cambios en el comportamiento) y posiblemente de tercer orden (cambios socioeconómicos y ambientales). Se concluye con este estudio de caso que los procesos participativos, la voluntad política, los procesos de evaluación y la financiación fueron fundamentales para el éxito de ambos proceso de MCI. También se encontró que el modelo conceptual propuesto por GESAMP representa una herramienta teórica fundamental para la planificación y análisis de los procesos de MCI, pero podría ser revisado y contrapuesto empíricamente a través de una investigación más profunda, con un mayor número de casos internacionales concretos de implementación de planes de MCI.

Towards an effective framework for coastal zone management: the Egyptian experience

Coastal areas are among the most highly populated, most exploited areas and vulnerable ecosystems in the world. How these interface areas between terrestrial and marine environments can effectively planned and managed has proved to be extremely challenging. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) has been promoted as a potential panacea for the effective planning and management of these areas. However achieving such goals for ICZM is complex because of the many human activities and diverse regulatory regimes in coastal areas requires effective integration along many dimensions. Within the context of the developing world, which is often characterised by highly centralised governance systems combined with a lack of effective public and stakeholder participation in planning delivering an effective ICZM, which is drawn from collaborative planning ideas has proved particularly problematic. Furthermore within these countries there have been few critical and analytical evaluations of why ICZM experiments have failed. This paper seeks to begin to address this gap by suggesting that Actor Network Theory (ANT) is an appropriate analytical framework to critically evaluate why ICZM initiatives in Egypt, at both the national and local level, have been relatively unsuccessful. The critical evaluation leads to some practical recommendations that could help to enhance the implementation of ICZM in Egypt.

A new tool to promote sustainability of coastal zones. The case of Sele plain, southern Italy

To support the implementation of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) plans, a quantitative methodology was assessed, fitting for both the National and Regional scale. According to the indicators proposed by the Deduce Consortium (Indicators guideline: to adopt and indicator-based approach to evaluate coastal sustainable development. Department of the Environment and Housing, Government of Catalonia, Barcelona, 2007), we propose a procedure to define monothematic and synthetic indexes useful in explaining the territory status. To achieve this goal, we used a methodology implemented in a geographic information systems (GIS) framework which had allowed us to draw these indexes into maps, making them valuable tools to inform the stakeholders about the weaknesses and strengths of the coastal areas, to involve them in the ICZM implementation process according to a bottom-up approach. We present here an application of this methodology to the inland sectors of the Sele coastal plain (Tyrrhenian coast, Southern Italy), which is affected by natural hazards and territorial fragmentation. Moreover, this plain is characterized also by large untouched areas to be preserved. We illustrate for the above area, the importance of GIS to manage and integrate large amounts of numerical data, produced by several projects, realized in the past decade in the framework of the environmental management. For this purpose, monothematic and synthetic index maps have been drawn to transfer the appropriate knowledge of the territory status to stakeholders.

Integration as a Significance Factor in Effective Coastal Management: Egypt as a Case Study

In the last two decades, integration and collaboration have become common themes in coastal management. They are advocated for their holistic approach that considers management outcomes rather than narrow jurisdictions of individual issues. Being more specific; Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a complex process with various issues to be covered and requiring a network of agencies and policies to be integrated. Furthermore, ICZM as a tool of effective planning and management encompasses different dimensions. Simultaneously, the integration should be territorial (comprising a delimited space), and temporal (long-term oriented), as well as being horizontal (cross-sectoral) and vertical (involving various administrative bodies) Hence, Multi-dimensional integration is essential for ICZM to succeed. However, achieving effective integration in coastal management is always difficult, especially in developing countries. Egypt provides an excellent case study of this experience. Since the mid-1990s several attempts have been made to promote ICZM in Egypt, although none have, as yet, achieved their goal of having an ICZM plan in operation. This paper reviews ICZM process in Egypt focussing on discussing the integration between all actors to plan and implement ICZM based on interviews with key ICZM actors as well as documentary analysis and participant observation in ICZM meetings. It seeks through a critical evaluation to provide recommendations that could help to enhance the implementation of ICZM in Egypt and other developing countries.

Norwegian aquaculture expansion and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM): Simmering conflicts and competing claims

ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) is a decision-making process for sustainable use, development and protection of coastal marine areas and their resources, in continuous realization. Norway is currently dependent upon the commitment and motivations of the municipalities to fulfill its ICZM initiatives. These communities are lacking epistemic communities that can help prevent the simmering conflicts surrounding aquaculture expansion, as demonstrated by media data from 1984–2010. With the forthcoming harvest of the zooplankton redfeed in Norwegian and surrounding waters, the Aquaculture industry could be in a situation of expanded feed resources, which would ensure its expansion if localities are made available. This would also be in line with the Norwegian government's commitment to the expansion of this industry. A government-endorsed growth of the Aquaculture industry will add fuel to these simmering conflicts concerning the use of the eco-system of collective goods and services available along national coastline in Norway for Aquaculture purposes. The suggestions from the recently released report from the Select Committee appointed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs in Norway on Effective and Sustainable Area Use in the Aquaculture Industry cab be an aid to supporting the growth of epistemic communities and a subsequent successful national ICZM implementation, thereby paving the way for a conflict-less coastal area management.

ICZM Protocols to Regional Seas Conventions: What? Why? How?

The regionalisation of international environmental law has emerged as one of the most important legal trends of the last decades. However, the regulation of coastal management stood apart from this trend for a long time; indeed, while integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) projects have developed at all scales, legal regulation of ICZM has long been confined to the national and sub-national levels. This is not the case any longer: recent developments in ICZM implementation demonstrate an increasing interest in regional regulation through the adoption of specific protocols within regional seas frameworks. The article aims at taking stock of these recent initiatives, specially focusing on the Mediterranean and Western Indian Ocean (WIO) regions. It demonstrates that an ICZM Protocol can be a strategic lever to address coastal issues only if certain conditions for its elaboration and implementation are effectively met.

Integrated coastal zone management under authoritarian rule: An evaluation framework of coastal governance in Egypt

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is an established management process at the international level striving for the sustainable use of coastal areas. Global experiences have produced evaluation frameworks based on accepted guidelines for good practice to measure progress ICZM initiatives. To date, no evaluation framework has been established, widely tested, and validated as a preferred ICZM assessment tool (Gallagher, 2010; Pickaver et al., 2004). Implementing ICZM in Egypt represents a unique challenge as authoritarian regimes, prima facie, undermine principles inherent in achieving governance approaches to ICZM. A brief investigation of the available ICZM evaluation frameworks in the academic literature results in the choice of Billé’s (2007) approach to ICZM evaluation. Billé’s (2007) proposed framework is applied to Egypt to see what lessons can be learned for ICZM implementation under authoritarian regimes. This paper makes suggestions for future success of IZCM in Egypt and calls for increased attention in formulating evaluations frameworks that incorporate analysis on nation-state’s governance processes to better contextualize the failures and successes of ICZM initiatives.

Assessing progress toward integrated coastal zone management: Some lessons from Egypt

The interface areas between marine and terrestrial environments encompasses some of the most exploited and vulnerable ecosystems in the world. How these transitional environments can be effectively planned and managed has led to the creation of new planning instruments. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) has been widely promoted as a potential mechanism for effective and integrated planning and management of these areas. However achieving the aspirations for ICZM is complex not least because of the many human activities and diverse regulatory regimes that exist in coastal areas, whose interest and concerns must be effective integrated into a single policy and implementation regime. Within the context of the developing world countries there have been few critical and analytical evaluations of why ICZM experiments have failed. This paper seeks to begin to address this gap by suggesting that Actor Network Theory (ANT) is an appropriate analytical framework to critically evaluate why ICZM initiatives in Egypt, at both the national and local level, have been relatively unsuccessful. The critical evaluation leads to some practical recommendations that could help to enhance the implementation of ICZM in Egypt and other developing countries.

Testing integrated coastal zone management in France

In a previous article ( Deboudt et al., 2008) we analyzed the transformation of the French coastal zone planning and development policies from 1970 to 2007. The last decade has been marked by the search for a balanced development of coastal territories using Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). Specifically, in 2005, the French government launched a Call for Proposals, which garnered 49 candidate projects from which 25 ICZM pilot projects were selected. Researchers conducted a preliminary evaluation of the objectives of these projects and then evaluated them while they were running, finishing at the end of 2007. Based on Internet research and discussions with the stakeholders involved in these projects, we conducted a final evaluation 3 years after this ICZM experimentation ended. We asked the following questions: What is the final evaluation of the experimentation conducted within the context of the call for ICZM proposals ( Datar, Secrétariat Général de la Mer, 2006)?. What is the final evaluation of the 25 projects selected in 2005? Was the ICZM approach extended beyond the experimental period? Was the ICZM approach implemented by the stakeholders of the non-selected projects? Although ICZM has permitted a prospective approach, an inter-communal planning approach (e.g., for determining the SCOT ( Schéma de cohérence territoriale: Territorial Cohesion Scheme.) boundaries), and the resolution of use conflicts, our global analysis of the final evaluation of the 25 projects allowed us to distinguish several orientations to be reinforced in territorial planning projects or ICZM implementation. These orientations concern land/sea integration and the appropriation of ICZM stakes at the coastal commune scale. Over the past three years (2007–2010), the foundations of the French coastal planning policies have considerably evolved under the influence of European policies. After the 2002 Recommendation, which led to identifying a new governance form for defining territorial planning projects based on ICZM, the 2008 French Prime Minister must lead to reinforcing the protections for the marine environment and land/sea integration. This perspective has already been discussed at the French Grenelle Environment Forum in 2007 and at the French Grenelle Maritime Forum in 2009. This discussion is going to accelerate the institutionalization of ICZM in France.

Towards climate adaptation and coastal governance in Ireland: Integrated architecture for effective management?

Abstract Coastal environments are susceptible to a range of impacts arising from medium and long-term climate change. However, as Ireland's population and industrial centres are concentrated in coastal locations, Ireland's coastal communities will be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Therefore, making the best use of existing knowledge to inform the establishment of governance structures capable of facilitating the measures and actions which may soon be required is a national imperative. Coastal communities worldwide have turned to integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) as a process to deliver sustainable development. This paper explores how experience gained from ICZM implementation can be harnessed to inform the development and implementation of climate adaptation policies, with a particular focus on the coastal zone. Using the principles and conceptual basis of Earth System Governance – an emerging approach to analyse complexity of governance under global environmental change – the paper maps the architecture of ICZM and climate governance in Ireland. The research identifies the main barriers to, and opportunities for, integrated application of the two policy domains. Barriers include the fragmentation of governance structures and responsibilities of key stakeholders, a lack of coordinated support for ICZM implementation at the national level, and a relatively weak awareness of the specifics of adaptation at the local level. Opportunities include the availability of expertise gathered from phases of ICZM implementation in Ireland, which encompasses mechanisms for science-policy integration, and invaluable experience of stakeholder participation and interaction. Current political and scientific support at national and EU levels give an additional impetus to climate research and actions which may bring additional opportunities and resources to coastal governance in Ireland.