Attempts towards coastal zone management in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas

Mr. Marko Prem
UNEP-MAP, Priority Actions Programme/Regional Activity Centre
Split
Croatia

Extended abstract

The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean region has for several millennia been the centre of interest for civilisations that developed specific forms of activities in its coastal areas for these are areas of strategic importance to all Mediterraneans. A large percentage of the region’s inhabitants live along the coast, which is also a major source of food and raw materials, a vital link for transport and trade, the location of some of the most valuable habitats, and a favoured leisure/recreation destination. Yet coastal areas are facing serious problems of habitat destruction, water contamination, and coastal erosion and resource depletion. This depletion of the limited resources of the coastal area (including limited physical space) is leading to increasingly frequent user conflict, such as between aquaculture and tourism. Coastal areas also suffer from serious socio-economic and cultural problems, such as a weakening of the social fabric, marginalisation, unemployment and destruction of property by erosion. In this way, it is not only natural resources and biodiversity which suffer but also the quality of life of coastal populations is deteriorating.

However, in spite of many international and national efforts in recent decades to ensure sustainable management of natural resources and a guarantee for the improvement of the quality of life of the coastal populations, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the environment, current development trends and pressures continue to show the opposite results.

Among the most serious issues causing concern, the following could be emphasised.

Coastal urbanisation has in recent decades entered a phase of rapid expansion, reaching a state of "hyper-development", typified by high population densities, environment degradation and decline of the quality of life, with activities concentrating in a few large urban centres and in coastal areas.

Tourist activities are rapidly growing and worsening the situation by exceeding local capacities (such as facilities, services, municipal sewage and waste treatment, imbalance between seasons, etc.).

Water consumption is increasing, reaching its maximum use rates in southern and eastern countries. Moreover, population growth in areas suffering from water scarcity can exacerbate the crisis. In certain water-scarce countries, high demands for irrigation and water consumption are accompanied by a striking increase in domestic consumption demand, which itself results from rising living standards. Increasing water consumption is also registered in the tourist sector, which places a heavy demand on water resources in high seasons coinciding with peaks in irrigation.

Pollution is also highly concentrated in certain areas. Around 100 priority “hot spots” have been identified in 19 Mediterranean countries.

Biodiversity losses where reduction of forests and habitats, especially wetlands (3 million hectares in the Roman era to 200,000 hectares by 1994, representing a reduction of 93%), dune loss, and environment degradation have imposed a serious threat to many aquatic species, especially water bird species inhabiting the Mediterranean coastline.

Soil erosion remains a serious threat particularly in agricultural areas, and coastal erosion causes damage to many beaches of the region.

Development of ICAM Approach in the Mediterranean

In response to the environmental situation in the region, the Mediterranean countries came to a consensus to establish a common legal basis for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea from pollution. In 1976 the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean, known as the Barcelona Convention was adopted, and the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) established as one of the Regional Seas Programmes of the UNEP. The objective was to assist the Mediterranean countries to assess and control marine pollution, and to formulate their national environmental policies.

During the first decade of MAP (1975-1985), its activities were directed towards the monitoring of the sea, pollution prevention and interventions aimed at improving the state of the natural system. Therefore, ICAM could not emerge as an instrument for the implementation of MAP activities. As MAP has evolved, its original focus on the pollution of the Mediterranean Sea has widened as it became evident that most of the marine pollution originates on land (it is estimated that 80% of pollution sources are land-based). Consequently, the geographical scope was also extended to coastal areas, and local level projects (known as CAMPs), as practical programmes, were initiated and instantly given considerable attention from the Mediterranean countries. A refocusing on the integrated coastal planning and management characterised the second decade of MAP (1985-1995). After the UNCED in 1992, the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (CP) decided to initiate activities related to the implementation of Rio documents. At the 9th Ordinary Meeting of the CP held in Barcelona in 1995, the Convention was revised in order to comply with Rio principles, and the MAP Phase II was adopted. Therefore, in the MAP Phase II, ICAM was highly recommended as a methodological instrument of integrating environment and development in coastal areas. In this way MAP shifted into its third decade (from 1995 on) focused on sustainable development in the region.

An important milestone in this process was the creation of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) in 1995 as an advisory body to MAP. Its main task is to make proposals to Mediterranean countries and other stakeholders to promote sustainable development in the region. Its first Working Group on Sustainable Development of Coastal Zones was focused on ICAM.

ICAM is, therefore, confirmed as a key-tool in seeking solutions for sustainable development and more emphasis is given to integrating environment and development policies, sustainable management of coastal zones and integrated management of natural resources. However, there is no specific legal instrument, such as a protocol, on ICAM in the Mediterranean, which is the case for example for specially protected areas and biological diversity, for combating pollution from land-based sources and alike.

The Role of PAP in ICAM Diffusion

Priority Actions Programme/Regional Activity Centre (PAP/RAC), established in 1978, is a key component of the MAP. PAP/RAC is defined as a programme of practical and concrete activities in fields, which were particularly suitable for co-operation among Mediterranean countries at the technical level, with a view to the exchange of experience and know-how. It is an action-oriented programme aimed at carrying out practical actions which are expected to produce immediate results and to strengthen national and local capacities for planning and management of coastal areas. ICAM is the PAP’s ‘umbrella’ activity. Based on the experience of PAP, and in co-operation with other MAP components, PAP has developed methodologies, tools and techniques for ICAM that are being used in the Mediterranean countries and in some other Regional Seas Programmes of the UNEP.

Among the most recommended tools and techniques in the application of ICAM are the following: evaluation and assessment techniques (environmental assessment, risk assessment, carrying capacity assessment, economic evaluation); data management; and instruments for implementation. A methodology and Guidelines for integrated management of coastal and marine areas with particular reference to Mediterranean basin were prepared to help in the application and practice of ICAM in individual states. In order to diffuse the experience accumulated, the PAP organises training courses, gives assistance and capacity building in ICAM.

In addition to MAP efforts in the region, other international organisations and individual states have also tried to put the coastal development under better control, such as i) the EU (Demonstration Programme for ICAM, Strategy for Europe on ICZM, Euro-Mediterranean Partnership), ii) METAP (integrated coastal area management initiatives in Mediterranean countries, capacity building, improvements in infrastructure and investment plan preparation), iii) Sub-regional initiatives (RAMOGE, Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, Northern Adriatic Initiative, Stability Pact for the South-Eastern Europe).

Coastal Area Management Programme: Local level implementation of ICAM

In the mid-1980s country pilot projects (CPPs) were developed in order to transfer the PAP knowledge and experience in sustainable integrated planning to small selected Mediterranean zones characterised by specific ecological problems. After 1990, the country pilot projects were transformed into MAP Coastal Areas Management Programmes (CAMPs), in which all Regional Activity Centres participate.

CAMP is a very concrete attempt by MAP to put theoretical approaches and policy instruments for ICAM into practice, by involving RACs, national and international consultants. Since its introduction the programme has gone through various phases, dealing with a variety of coastal issues, which have contributed to improvements in many countries, not only by proposing concrete actions, plans or different activities for sustainable use of coastal resources but also with immeasurable positive impacts on awareness building, knowledge by training, exchanges of experience, involvement of stakeholders and public in general, what was and in many cases still is missing in coastal management. The contribution of this specific MAP programme is of great importance, due also to the integrating role it provides by involving other international organisations, financial institutions and alike, and therefore contributing to a common sense and understanding among the nations and the scientific communities around the Mediterranean.

CAMPs are oriented to different levels:
a) local level – by implementing projects oriented at solving priority environment and development related problems in selected areas;
b) national level – by contributing to the formulation and implementation of relevant national policies and strategies with project results and solutions proposed and, indirectly, by offering methodologies and procedures tested under specific national and local conditions;
c) regional level – by disseminating the results and experience achieved, contributing to the formulation and implementation of relevant regional policies and strategies.

These projects have gradually improved and changed their structure and scope in order to better respond to the development of sustainability principles, and on the basis of lessons learned from previous programmes. Regarding the type of project areas and major issues, the implemented CAMPs had the following characteristics:
- projects dealing with highly polluted urban and industrial coastal areas located in semi enclosed aquatories: (Kastela bay, Izmir bay, Sfax);
- projects dealing with the entire length of national coastline: (Syria, Albania and Israel);
- projects dealing with islands: (Rhodes, Malta); and
- projects dealing with specific and/or fragile environments: (Fuka).

CAMP projects promote a new style of governance, a style that involves and is in partnership with all of the segments of civil society. CAMP solicits the collaboration of all coastal area stakeholders in the conception and implementation of a development model that is in their mutual interest. However, this collaboration must go beyond the involvement of the stakeholders who are physically present in the narrow coastal strip. As many of the problems facing the coastal areas can only be solved through a much broader integrated approach, many actors from elsewhere in the same river basin, or other parts of the hinterland must also be involved.

New Initiatives and Approaches for ICAM

i) Legislation for ICAM
However, there is still no legal instrument for ICAM. The need for a protocol on ICAM in the Mediterranean has often been on the agenda at various levels of the MAP in recent years. The ICAM approach has been widely recognised as a conceptual framework to develop policies and actions leading to sustainable use of natural resources and improved quality of life in coastal areas. The Contracting Parties, at their 12th Ordinary Meeting in Monaco in 2001, recommended the feasibility study for a regional protocol on sustainable coastal management be prepared.

ii) Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management (ICARM)
Since the UNCED conference in Rio, it has become accepted that river basins and coastal sectors are closely linked through their physical and ecological structures and related physical and biological processes. Economic activities in downstream areas benefit from upland resources, such as water, aggregates and wood. On the other hand, coastal areas provide space for settlement, industrial activity and tourist developments that provide benefits for the wider river basin area. Therefore, UNEP entrusted PAP/RAC to extend its activity on integrated management of coastal zones to the adjacent watersheds in order to contribute to the development of a new management approach and of new management structures and instruments that can properly take into account those linkages. This new approach called Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management (ICARM) provides the key to the integrated development of natural, socio-economic and cultural environments within river basins and coastal areas.

iii) New types of CAMP projects
The local ICAM projects, as one of the priority orientations of MAP, will also remain an important task in the future. The original concept of projects will be continued in the future; however elaborated below are some proposals for the improvement and for development of some new types of CAMP projects. Taking into account the strategic needs of the region, conclusions and recommendations from various levels, these are the concrete proposals for the new types of CAMPs:
· National CAMPs; cover the whole national Mediterranean watershed, or the entire national coastal area,
· Sub-regional CAMPs; could involve the river basin or coastal areas of at least two countries, and
· Cross-border CAMPs; cover river basin or coastal areas on both sides of the border.

The main shift in approach involves possibilities to extend CAMP projects to the whole Mediterranean watershed, a preparation of strategic documents (vision or strategy, review of legal instruments for ICAM), and actions at the local level. In this manner the development of the ICAM/ICARM theory and approaches on a wider scale (e.g. EU; ESDP, Water Framework Directive, ICZM Strategy) as well as MAP recommendations would be put in practice.

Black Sea Environment Programme (BSEP); Prospective for collaboration

The Black Sea Environment Programme is also one of the UNEP Regional Seas Programmes, established in 1992 when Bulgaria, Georgia, Russian Federation, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine signed the Bucharest Convention. The Commission and Secretariat are based in Istanbul, whereas the centre with a mandate similar to the one in PAP/RAC is located in Krasnodar. In comparison to MAP this is a much younger programme. Therefore, it could not be expected to be developed and to have so much experience as MAP. Also the socio-political context is different and much more difficult.

Among the main problems encountered in this region as far as the implementation of the activities is concerned, such as the implementation of ICZM tools and methodologies which is in its initial stage, the involvement of public is rather weak, and there is a lack of practical experience and problem of continuity due to availability of resources. There is obviously a need for a harmonised regional approach and specific country related initiatives, which would support improvement of environmental situation in this complex socio-economic and political situation. There is therefore, a good deal of room for closer co-operation between the two programmes.

Collaboration between MAP and BSEP in the field of ICAM could include the following fields of activities: i) exchange of experience (ICAM methodologies, tools, guidelines, good practices, etc.), ii) joint implementation of concrete projects, and iii) capacity building and awareness raising (training, workshops).