There is often a fragile existance in our coastal zones: the balance between nature and the needs of many conflicting uses needs careful management

Mott MacDonald has substantial experience in conducting Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) projects worldwide. Our multi-disciplinary ICZM team assists governments and the private sector in integrating environmental and natural resource management requirements with overall regional development planning needs to achieve optimum integrated coastal zone management.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a strategic framework that aims to achieve sustainable levels of economic and social activity in coastal areas while protecting the coastal environment. It brings together all those involved in the development, management and use of the coast within a framework that facilitates the integration of their interests and responsibilities. The ICZM approach has been recognised by UNCED, WSSD, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Global Action Plan and UNEP’s Regional Seas Convention as the appropriate tool to ensure sustainable development in coastal areas.

Coastal activities and issues are complex, therefore ICZM needs to involve governments and communities, scientists and management, sectoral and public interests. To that end, in Europe, European Member States adopted a Recommendation from the European Commission on implementing ICZM.

“ICZM is also an example of an ‘ecosystem approach’; developed as an overall strategy for integrated environmental management promoting conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. An ecosystem approach to water resources management is recognised as a key strategy for meeting the objectives of poverty alleviation.

Most coastal areas are important sources of food and raw materials, energy, minerals, recreation, transport, and trade. Our coasts also host an impressive array of valuable habitats with an equally extraordinary collection of species. A third of the world’s population is currently living in coastal areas, which only cover 4% of the total land area available (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, UNEP, 2006).”

Coastal zones worldwide face serious problems of habitat destruction, pollution, erosion and resource depletion. Coastal resource depletion (including the limited physical space) leads to frequent conflict between users, for example, between aquaculture and tourism. Coastal zones can also suffer from serious socio-economic and cultural problems, such as weakening of the social fabric, marginalization, unemployment and destruction of property by erosion.

Our key services include:

• Institutional strengthening and local capacity building of environmental management authorities
• Drafting environmental profiles and management plans for protected areas
• Land use planning and sector policy formulation
• Environmental assessments and audits
• GIS and database management
• Vulnerability assessments
• Master planning of coastal resource use
• Drafting ICZM plans and strategies

Examples of our work in this area include:

• Egypt: we provided advice to the Egyptian authorities on the optimum exploitation of the fisheries resources and improved inter-sectoral collaboration for the Bardawil Lagoon.
• Gaza Strip: we helped in the land and resource use planning for the area.
• Vietnam: we prepared an environmentally sound master plan for the Mekong Delta.
• Sri Lanka: we assisted the government in an in-depth analysis of the resources of the Muthurajawela Marshes and in the design of a master plan, including industrial, housing and buffer zone development and nature conservation.
• Guyana: we found inexpensive, sustainable and technically sound solutions to challenging issues surrounding degrading defences, despite poor ground conditions.