3.5 Coastal areas

Challenges regarding coastal areas

  • Balance ecological, social and economical goals for development of coastal zones, including areas of different nature sensitivity and of intensive human activities;
  • Achieve integration between land and sea-side developments;
  • Promote co-ordination across sectors and across administrative-boundaries;
  • Link ICZM to statutory spatial planning;

Coastal areas have always offered location advantages for human activities. "As a result, over sixty percent of the world's population lives within a 60 km coastal zone, with projected duplication within the next 20 to 30 years". 27

Cities, harbours, industries cover growing areas of coastal zones. Other coastal zones have a high concentration of agricultural activities.

Tourism is also expanding in coastal zones seeking at the same time good urban and transport infrastructure and intact nature.

BSR coastal zones also exhibit a great diversity of sensitive biotopes, with wetlands and important birth migration and breeding areas.

This concentration of competing, and frequently conflicting land-use demands, is associated with environ-mental problems. Formerly rich flora and fauna are being impoverished associated with aesthetic and environmental degradation and health hazards. Flooding risks from estuaries, coast erosion and river water pollution stemming from the hinterland are further problems.

Use conflicts extend to the water side of coastal zones, where fishery, recreation, military purposes, shipping and mining activities seek their share.

Sustainable development requires to balance the different land and water use demands.

In line with the above, ESDP has identified integrated coastal zone management as an important task. Various demonstration projects have been prepared under the auspices of HELCOM as well as of the European Union. But still, concepts are not sufficiently developed to ensure sustainable development by adopting a cross-sector perspective which considers equitably environmental, social and economical goals. Also, pilot projects on integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) are not well integrated into statutory spatial planning. Frequently, they have not succeeded to sufficiently involve all relevant levels of authorities.