Principles of ICZM

Vulnerable coastal areas all over the world experience population growth, expansion of industry and tourism, and extensive exploitation of marine resources. In addition, the risk of natural hazards increases due to the global climate change. As a result, conflicts of interest occur more frequently and the sustainable use of natural and environmental resources is threatened.

To help resolve these conflicts ICZM has developed; Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a continuous process with the general aim of implementing sustainable development in coastal zones and maintaining their diversity. It implements decisions on the mix of uses that best serves the needs of society now and in the future. ICZM is advantageous both from an environmental - reduce or avoid irreversible environmental damage - and economic perspective - financial benefits in the longer term.

To facilitate ICZM, two key issues are identified; 1) Formal Arrangements; institutional arrangements - an administrative structure which ensures horizontal and vertical integration of management; legal arrangements - laws, conventions, decrees and standards to make management possible; financial arrangements - money to pay the expenditures during the process. 2) Information Provision; methods, tools and techniques to provide the managers the necessary information to base decisions on.

Four phases make up an ICZM program; Problem Recognition (Research Assessment), Planning (among which Data Collection, Policy Development and Decision Making), Implementation (among which Plan Execution, Operation and Maintenance and Monitoring) and Evaluation (Assessment and Outlook). These stages make up a cyclic and iterative path, rather than a linear procedure.