Sustainable Coastal Zone Management Research Articles

Quantifying Coastal Shoreline Erosion Due to Climatic Extremes Using Remote-Sensed Estimates from Sentinel-2A Data

This paper studies the shoreline alterations occurring along the Al Batinah region in the Sultanate of Oman and the impacts of Cyclone Kyarr on its shoreline. The methods used in this research employed Sentinel images and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System within the GIS environment to measure changes of the shoreline and explore Kyarr’s impacts from 2017 to 2020. The results showed that from 2017 to 2020, the Al Batinah coast experienced erosion at a rate of 9 m/year. In addition, the Shoreline Change Envelop showed that the maximum shoreline change was reported from 2018 to 2019, with a 1145 m advancement that coincided with Kyarr in 2019. Further, data from the period between 2017 and 2018 showed that 73 % of the coastline was dominated by soil deposition at an average rate of 10 m/year, while the period between 2018 and 2019 showed erosion at an average rate of -40 m/year. The results of this study will be of interest to decision-makers involved in monitoring shoreline changes and would also be of immence importance in ensuring sustainable coastal zone management and development, especially in areas prone to extreme events such as tropical cyclones.

The Integration of Regional Spatial Planning (RTRW) and Coastal Spatial Planning (RZWP3K) for The Sustainable Coastal Area Development

The disharmony between land and marine spatial planning is threatening the planning of sustainable coastal development. In Indonesia, land spatial planning has firstly been implemented, followed by the spatial zonation of coastal waters. Therefore, to achieve sustainable coastal zone management, the harmonization between the regional spatial plan or RTRW with the zoning plan for coastal waters and small islands or RZWP3K is urgently needed. This paper aims to examine the spatial problems in the process of integrating these two spatial plans. Using the spatial review method, the stages of study consist of forming the seamless spatial planning maps of 8 provincial regions in Indonesia that have stipulated the second regional regulation on spatial planning regimes and then integrated them with the coastal waters spatial planning zonation map (rzwp3k). The findings show the potential conflict in some areas, especially in protected areas with cultivation and public use, and between the cultivation areas, fisheries, and industries. Other findings are on the technical aspect, which shows the differences in the coastal area due to the use of two different coastlines and base maps. Regarding substance, there are differences in the content of the framework of the RTRW and RZWP3K mandates in regional regulation.

Sustainable coastal zone management of Strymonikos Gulf: implementation of the analytic hierarchy process through an application designed using the programming language C# (sharp)

Coastal areas are of interest as they usually include a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems, as well as many important economic activities. Human coastal population increases continually and consequently, there is much stress from all settlements and economic activities to coastal zones. A proposed methodological approach for coastal management plans' environmental strategic evaluation, in the context of sustainable coastal zone management, is described. Therefore, alternative management scenarios for the examined area of the coastal zone of Strymonikos Gulf, are presented. The selection of the prevailing alternative proposal is made through the process of multi-criteria analysis and more specifically, with the aid of the analytic hierarchy process. For the implementation of the suggested multicriteria method, within the context of coastal zone sustainable development, a program in programming language C# (sharp) was designed, in order to help researchers with the selection of the best alternative scenario.

Sustainable coastal zone management of Strymonikos Gulf: implementation of the analytic hierarchy process through an application designed using the programming language C# (sharp)

Coastal areas are of interest as they usually include a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems, as well as many important economic activities. Human coastal population increases continually and consequently, there is much stress from all settlements and economic activities to coastal zones. A proposed methodological approach for coastal management plans' environmental strategic evaluation, in the context of sustainable coastal zone management, is described. Therefore, alternative management scenarios for the examined area of the coastal zone of Strymonikos Gulf, are presented. The selection of the prevailing alternative proposal is made through the process of multi-criteria analysis and more specifically, with the aid of the analytic hierarchy process. For the implementation of the suggested multicriteria method, within the context of coastal zone sustainable development, a program in programming language C# (sharp) was designed, in order to help researchers with the selection of the best alternative scenario.

SKENARIO PENGELOLAAN KEPESISIRAN BERKELANJUTAN KABUPATEN BUTON SELATAN, PROVINSI SULAWESI TENGGARA

The coastal zone of South Buton Regency consists of unique ecosystems and abundant natural resources, but facing problems, mainly in terms of conflict between economic needs and ecological aspects. This study aims to set up scenarios for sustainable coastal zone management (SCZM) in South Buton Regency that are synergistic and benefit all stakeholders, without disregarding the principals of ecological conservation. Data were collected by interviews and field observations and were analyzed using prospective analysis method. Comprehensive analyisis were performed encompassing the effects and interactions of key components of the successfulness of the SCZM in South Buton based on the stakeholders desires. Three environmental management scenarios were assessed, namely: the conservative-pessimistic scenario, in which refinements for the key components are at minimum levels, the moderate-optimistic scenario, in which refinements for the key components are about 50%, and the progressive-optimistic scenario, in which all the key components are addressed for refinements. Results of the prospective analysis show that the moderate-optimistic scenario was the most appropriate scheme to be implemented for the sustainable coastal zone management in South Buton Regency, follows by progressive-optimistic and conservative-pessimistic scenarios, respectively.
 Keywords: Coastal zone; Key components; Prospective analysis; Environmental management

Navigating visions, knowledge and practical challenges in coastal zone planning

This paper explores what happens when the ideal of sustainable development meets the real and pressing problems in coastal zone planning. Insights into how coastal zone planners understand environmental problems and navigate political visions, knowledge requirements, stakeholder involvement and local conditions, are key to understanding how to develop a holistic approach in line with sustainable development. The paper applies Q-methodology to identify the dominant discourses and explore planners’ perceptions and practices for sustainable coastal zone management. The Q sorts were realized in 2018–2019 in Northern Norway with planners in 10 small municipalities and 8 county level representatives. It is argued that it provides new insights into the challenges that planners face in striking a balance between the overarching values and the practical tasks that planners face in everyday planning; and that the interpretation of factors using Q-methodology should focus on all statements to ensure holism and avoid overlooking important information.

Sustainable Coastal Zone Management: Need for a Holistic Approach for Bangladesh

Coastal Zone is the most vulnerable area which is often attacked by cyclones, storm surges, floods, erosion and affected by climate change impacts like prolonged drought, salinity intrusion & greater temperature extremes. These realities are true both for the developed nations and a developing country like Bangladesh. This review study aims to explore the coastal management approaches in the UK & EU and the prevailing coastal management scenarios of Bangladesh. Based on the existing coastal management situations of Bangladesh, this study suggests that Bangladesh needs a holistic coastal management mechanism that should be supported by legislation, run by administrative and institutional frameworks, staffed by multidisciplinary experienced professionals under a Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA) for sustainable coastal zone management.

Hybrid, public and private environmental governance: the case of sustainable coastal zone management in Quintana Roo, Mexico

ABSTRACT Coastal zones (CZ) are social-ecological systems where rapid forms of economic development are disrupting the existing patterns of relationships, raising challenges for governance. Institutional flexibility, broad participation, multilevel governance, and adaptability have been identified as critical conditions for the governance of social-ecological systems. While the importance of agency, through the substantive participation of private actors in rulemaking, has been researched, there is a need to examine the dynamics involved in, and consequence of, hybrid governance arrangements. An empirical study is presented of hybrid governance, involving federal and local government and locally based private actors from civil society organizations, environmental non-government organizations and local business interest associations, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The CZ of Quintana Roo is facing pressures from economic development, mainly tourism, with consequences for water pollution and fisheries. Through qualitative, mixed methods, we found that a thick network of private actors has mobilized to play an important role in environmental management and to act in collaboration with the State. Multiple rationales account for this development, including high levels of environmental awareness, particularly with respect to water pollution, while the lack of institutional capacity also motivates state actors to seek partnerships. While private governance is emerging, our data reveal a complex case, where private actor mobilization seeks to promote better regulations, to share data and resources, and to improve implementation capacity within the public administration. Hybrid governance contributes to effective environmental governance of the CZ. However, this can also risk state retreat from its public responsibilities.

A Holistic Approach to Beach Development in Badagry Local Government in Nigeria: A Case of Whispering Palm Beach Resort

The study was carried out to investigate the issues surrounding the planning and management strategies adopted in Badagry Local government Area for coastal tourism development, with a view to recommending appropriate sustainable measures that will facilitate effective coastal zone development. This work was based on primary data and supported by secondary data. The primary data were collected during field investigation in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State with the aid of questionnaire and interview methods. The secondary data were obtained from both official sources (government agencies) and non-official sources (libraries, the internet and newspapers), to include, population statistics, tourist inflow, etc. In this research, both in-depth interviews and informal interviews were conducted amidst staff of tourism related institutions, such as, hotels, beach development offices, tourism boards and agencies to investigate the different impacts of coastal tourism in Badagry, opinions of tourists and agencies (stakeholders) and the need for proper planning and management. As the sample size of this study is large, the questionnaires were specifically used to gather views from a large number of tourists regarding beaches and coastal zones in Badagry. In order to effectively assess the impact of tourism activity management on the stakeholders, the likert scale pre-coded responses were included in the questionnaire. A total of 100 copies of the survey questionnaire were administered within the Badagry community among host members, tourists, the hospitality related outfits, government and private agencies operating within the area. Data from the questionnaire were analysed by various statistical tools in the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS Version 20.0, 2011). Data were further analysed using correlation analysis and the one-way ANOVA.The study found that, there is significant relationship between coastal tourism management and tourism planning at Whispering palm. It, also, found a positive correlation with all the independent variables. This reveals that any possible change in socioeconomic factors will lead to development of the local community. The study concluded that, any increase in the economic wellbeing of individuals in the community or any significant social change through tourism activities will directly have positive influence on local community development. The study recommended sustainable coastal zone management and planning; provision and implementation of policies and plans for sustainable tourism;effective governance structures and relationships;sustaining coastal tourism development through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); and supporting host community livelihood through coastal zone products.

Longshore Sediment Transport on the Brazilian Continental Shelf

Beaches are suffering morphological changes due the interaction between energetics components and local sedimentary supply imbalance. The understanding of the wave climate is an essential source of information for the composition of coastal planning projects. The main goal of this work is to estimate the longshore sediment transport (LST) in various sectors of the Brazilian Coast, and to identify the annual average and its dominant direction. For this study was considered the period between 1979 and 2015, applying computational modeling to investigate the waves behavior, and empirical formulas to calculate LST rates. The results showed a great discrepancy in the wave climate along the Brazilian Coast, and presented similarities rates between the estimation of LST and previous studies for different sectors analyzed. The sector where transport rates have been higher understanding the Northeast region, specifically between Alagoas and Rio Grande do Norte states. The opposite of it was observed in the Southern part of Bahia. The dominant direction of sediments, mainly caused by the waves, was directed to South between Rio de Janeiro and Bahia states, and in some parts of Sergipe. Transportation to the north comprises the South and Southeast regions, as well as a considerable area of the Northeast and the entire Northern Region. In this sense, information related to wave behavior and sediment transport along the Brazilian Coast is presented, unlike studies available in the literature that are carried out locally and approach only specific regions. Thus, the results presented can be considered in future projects, involving the sustainable management of coastal zones.

Response of long- to short-term changes of the Puri coastline of Odisha (India) to natural and anthropogenic factors: a remote sensing and statistical assessment

The coastal regions of India are densely populated and most biological productive ecosystems which are threatened by erosion, natural disaster, and anthropogenic interferences. These threats have made priority in appraisal of shoreline dynamicity as part of sustainable management of coastal zones. The present study assessed the long- to short-term dynamicity of shoreline positions along the coast of Puri district, Odisha, India, during the past 25 years (1990–2015) using open-source multi-temporal satellite images (Landsat TM, ETM + , and OLI) and statistical-based methods (endpoint rate, linear regression rate and weighted linear regression). The long-term assessment during 1990–2015 shows that shoreline accredited at the rate of 0.3 m a−1 with estimated mean accretion and erosional rate of 1.18 m a−1 and 0.64 m a−1, respectively. A significant trend of coastal erosion is primarily observed on the northern side of Puri district coast. A cyclic pattern of accretion (during 1990–1995 and 2000–2004) and erosion (during 1995–2000 and 2009–2015) was observed during the assessment of short-term shoreline change. It exhibited significant correlation with the landfall of severe cyclones and identified cyclic phases after severe cyclonic storms, i.e., phase of erosion, phase of accretion and phase of stabilization. Overall, the natural processes specifically the landfall of tropical cyclones and anthropogenic activities such as the construction of coastal structures, encroachment and recent construction in the coastal regulatory zone, and construction of dams in upper catchment areas are the major factors accountable for shoreline changes. The output of the research undertaken is not only crucial for monitoring the dynamism of coastal ecosystem boundaries but to enable long- to short-term coastal zone management planning in response to recently reported high erosion along the Puri coast. Moreover, the usage of open-source satellite imageries and statistical-based method provides an opportunity in developing cost-effective spatial data infrastructure for shoreline monitoring and vulnerability mapping along the coastal region.

Marine heatwaves reveal coral reef zones susceptible to bleaching in the Red Sea.

As the Earth's temperature continues to rise, coral bleaching events become more frequent. Some of the most affected reef ecosystems are located in poorly monitored waters, and thus, the extent of the damage is unknown. We propose the use of marine heatwaves (MHWs) as a new approach for detecting coral reef zones susceptible to bleaching, using the Red Sea as a model system. Red Sea corals are exceptionally heat-resistant, yet bleaching events have increased in frequency. By applying a strict definition of MHWs on >30 year satellite-derived sea surface temperature observations (1985-2015), we provide an atlas of MHW hotspots over the Red Sea coral reef zones, which includes all MHWs that caused major coral bleaching. We found that: (a) if tuned to a specific set of conditions, MHWs identify all areas where coral bleaching has previously been reported; (b) those conditions extended farther and occurred more often than bleaching was reported; and (c) an emergent pattern of extreme warming events is evident in the northern Red Sea (since 1998), a region until now thought to be a thermal refuge for corals. We argue that bleaching in the Red Sea may be vastly underrepresented. Additionally, although northern Red Sea corals exhibit remarkably high thermal resistance, the rapidly rising incidence of MHWs of high intensity indicates this region may not remain a thermal refuge much longer. As our regionally tuned MHW algorithm was capable of isolating all extreme warming events that have led to documented coral bleaching in the Red Sea, we propose that this approach could be used to reveal bleaching-prone regions in other data-limited tropical regions. It may thus prove a highly valuable tool for policymakers to optimize the sustainable management of coastal economic zones.

Tracking annual changes of coastal tidal flats in China during 1986–2016 through analyses of Landsat images with Google Earth Engine

Tidal flats (non-vegetated area), along with coastal vegetation area, constitute the coastal wetlands (intertidal zone) between high and low water lines, and play an important role in wildlife, biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles. However, accurate annual maps of coastal tidal flats over the last few decades are unavailable and their spatio-temporal changes in China are unknown. In this study, we analyzed all the available Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI imagery (~44,528 images) using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform and a robust decision tree algorithm to generate annual frequency maps of open surface water body and vegetation to produce annual maps of coastal tidal flats in eastern China from 1986 to 2016 at 30-m spatial resolution. The resulting map of coastal tidal flats in 2016 was evaluated using very high-resolution images available in Google Earth. The total area of coastal tidal flats in China in 2016 was about 731,170 ha, mostly distributed in the provinces around Yellow River Delta and Pearl River Delta. The interannual dynamics of coastal tidal flats area in China over the last three decades can be divided into three periods: a stable period during 1986–1992, an increasing period during 1993–2001 and a decreasing period during 2002–2016. The resulting annual coastal tidal flats maps could be used to support sustainable coastal zone management policies that preserve coastal ecosystem services and biodiversity in China.

Shoreline change detection along the coast of Odisha, India using digital shoreline analysis system

A long-term shoreline change analysis is significant for coastal zone management as well as planning for future development in the coastal zone. The present study analyse a long term (1990–2015) shoreline change along the Odisha coast, India using geo-informatics. The High Water Line (HWL) was considered as shoreline, which was detected by Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) method. The shorelines as vector were extracted from binary raster image which was created by dynamic local threshold values. The shoreline has been updated in river creeks, mouth. Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) developed by USGS, as Arc GIS extension, were used to calculate shoreline change rate. The Linear Regression Rate method was used to calculate shoreline change rate. The result reveals that about 196 km (46%) shoreline is eroded, where 78 km (18%) shoreline is in stable condition and 156 km (36%) shoreline is accreted along the Odisha coast. The Puri and Kendapara districts have found with most eroded shoreline 80 km (18.7%) and 41 km (9.5%) respectively, whereas most accreted shoreline is around 37 km (8.5%), has found along the coast of Bhadrak district. On the other hand Ganjam district has the least eroded shoreline, which is around 8 km (2%), whereas the least accreted shoreline has found along the coastline of Puri district (5%). The study has done on the regional scale with significant information, which can help coastal managers and researchers towards sustainable coastal zone research, management and planning.

Gathering society's opinion of the sustainable management and economic value of the coastal zone

AbstractThis study explores people's perceptions of marine ecosystem services and sustainable coastal zone management. More specifically, it investigates the relationship between respondents' attitudes and motives for placing economic value on the coastal zone, expressing their intention to pay for coastal zone quality improvement. Primary data were obtained from a sample of 468 people living on the coastline of the Pagasitikos Gulf. Respondents' attitude was measured using questions that include issues related to the marine ecosystem. Our empirical findings reveal that ‘people's responsibility’ and respondents' perception of ‘endangered species’ are the main factors explaining their attitude towards the marine environment. In a second stage, we explore the relationship between people's intention to pay for coastal zone quality improvement in the region and ‘people's responsibility’.

Impacts of human activities on coastal ecological environment during the rapid urbanization process in Shenzhen, China

How human activities impact on coastal ecosystem during rapid urbanization is one of the hot spots in the coastal management study. In this paper, we comparatively evaluate changes in the positive and the negative ecological elements of Shenzhen's coastal zone in the rapid urbanization process to understand impacts of human activities. The positive and the negative ecological elements divided by built of classification based on extracted land uses from multi-source remote sensing images and land-use degree index. Then landscape indexes such as AWMSI, ED, PSSD, PSCOV at the class level and CONNECT, SHEI at both class level and landscape level were used to reveal spatial and temporal differentiation of impacts of human activities on ecological elements. Results revealed that impacts of human activities on coastal ecosystem were stronger in west coast than that in east coast, and environmental protection awareness of government began to enhance from 2000, whereas the ecosystem health didn't become better. Future urbanization plans about coastal zones need to consider the ecological benefit of the landscape pattern from both a local and global point of view. This method can contribute to the sustainable management of other coastal zones.

Heavy metals in surface sediments of the continental shelf of the South Yellow Sea and East China Sea: Sources, distribution and contamination

The heavy metals in surface sediments of the continental shelf of the South Yellow Sea (SYS) and the East China Sea (ECS) collected in 2016 were analyzed to assess the heavy metal distributions, contamination status, and likely sources. The metal concentrations generally met the China Marine Sediment Quality criteria. However, the enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index values clearly showed elevated Cd and Pb concentrations in the region. Cd and Pb contamination occurred mostly to the southwest of the Changjiang River mouth and to the east of the Shandong Peninsula because of rapid economic and industrial development. The results are likely to be useful for authorities responsible for sustainable coastal zone management.

Assessing storm surge risk under future sea-level rise scenarios: a case study in the North Adriatic coast

Low-lying coastal areas are often prone to storm surge flooding that can render severe damages to properties, destruction of habitats, threat to human safety and the environment. The impacts of coastal flooding are also expected to increase in the future as a consequence of global climate change and sea-level rise. This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of the potential risks raised by storm surge and sea-level rise on multiple coastal targets (i.e., population, buildings, infrastructures, agriculture, natural and semi-natural environments and cultural heritage) in the Northern Adriatic coast in Italy. Through the assessment of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and risk, a Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) methodology allowed identifying and prioritizing hot-spot risk areas and targets requiring particular attention for the definition of adaptation strategies. Hazard scenarios were based on the analysis of tide gauge data (elaborated with the Joint Probability Method) and of different sea-level rise projections for the year 2100. Geographical-information analysis was then used to characterize vulnerability patterns of exposed natural and human systems and to make a spatial ranking of risks. Maps produced for the worst scenario showed that beaches are the target at higher risk (with more than 90% of the surface in the higher relative risk class) due to the low elevation and high proximity to the coastline. Also cultural heritage (i.e., villas, historical buildings and roads) and wetlands are highly threatened by storm surge flooding. The relative risks will be lower (i.e., between 25% and 40% of their surface/length in the higher relative risk class) for most of the other receptors (i.e., local roads, railways, natural and semi-natural environments and agricultural areas), including population and buildings that are mostly classified in lower risk classes. The overall results of the assessment, including maps and risk metrics, can be useful to rise the attention of coastal managers about the need to adapt to climate change, developing climate-proof policies and programs for the sustainable management of coastal zones.

A communication framework for climatic risk and enhanced green growth in the eastern coast of Ghana

Progresses made in global responses to climate change shows that adaptation is gradually finding its way into development planning, yet delays are generally expected from competing priorities of several sectors, policy and knowledge challenges. To understand these dynamics, a pathway for enhanced climatic risk communication, which is a form of a non-structural adaptation, was analyzed in Ghana’s coastal zones. Two learning platforms, the Community-based Risk Screening Tool for Adaptation and Livelihoods (CRiSTAL), and U-Learning (Theory U-Process) were used to engage the state level policy-making process in governing development within coastal zones in the face of increased climatic risks and climate change impacts. Local livelihood priorities showed that a national level development planning framework that excluded local contexts of climatic risks face possible maladaptation. Subsequently the process that was engaged in the local contextualization of climatic risks and development in selected Districts culminated in the consensus framework, Coastal Zone Green Growth (CZGG), informed mostly by concerns over clean energy usage and ecologically compatible use of coastal resources. Therefore the CZGG potentially provides co-benefits for enhanced ecosystem services, livelihoods and adaptation. Thus, it constitutes a denominator for measuring climatic risks and adaptation to potentially inform the policy-making process towards sustainable coastal zone management practices. Except for the desired goals of CZGG being far reaching and futuristic, they overlapped with goals of the adaptation strategies of the local population, which are similar to development goals. Therefore communicating localized contexts of coastal climatic risks of which sea level rise is seen often as remote to planning, could strengthen risk management in integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and enhance resilience of vulnerable communities. However, this will require the designation of a body which is accustomed to the local issues to facilitate, harmonize and coordinate multi-sector actions and diverse stakeholders’ interests for the CZGG to become a reality in contributing to ICZM in Ghana.

Implications of adopting a biodiversity-based vulnerability index versus a shoreline environmental sensitivity index on management and policy planning along coastal areas

In this study, a multi-criteria index was developed to assess anthropogenic stressors along the Mediterranean coastline. The index aimed at geo-locating pollution hotspots for informed decision making related to coastal zone management. The index was integrated in a Geographical Information System based geodatabase implemented at several pilot areas along the Northern (Italy and France), Eastern (Lebanon), and Southern (Tunisia) Mediterranean coastlines. The generated stressor maps were coupled with a biodiversity richness index and an environmental sensitivity index to produce vulnerability maps that can form the basis for prioritizing management and mitigation interventions towards the identification of pollution hotspots and the promotion of sustainable coastal zone management. The results identified significant differences between the two assessment methods, which can bias prioritization in decision making and policy planning depending on stakeholders' interests. The discrepancies emphasize the need for transparency and understanding of the underlying foundations behind vulnerability indices and mapping development.