Implementing integrated coastal development plans

Description

Implementing integrated coastal development plans involves coordinating policies, management, and stakeholder actions to balance environmental protection, economic growth, and social needs in coastal zones. This strategy addresses issues such as habitat degradation, pollution, and conflicting land uses by promoting sustainable resource use, risk reduction, and participatory planning. Practical measures include harmonizing regulations, restoring ecosystems, improving infrastructure, and fostering collaboration among government, communities, and industry to ensure resilient and equitable coastal development.

Context

Integrated coastal area management is proposed as a framework for informed and coordinated decision-making. The process includes the following steps: inception (to define objectives), performance review (to organize the process), data collection and research (encompassing biophysical, socio-economic and institutional information), analysis (to evaluate problems and causes of concern), strategy formulation (based on negotiated options), plan formulation and plan implementation.

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends implementation of integrated coastal and marine management and sustainable development plans and programmes at appropriate levels.

Claim

1. Both information failure and policy failure which are at the source of wetland mis-management can be addressed by the integrated coastal area management approach.