Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands

July 1998 - December 1998

* * *

Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands (CSI)

Highlights

The first step towards elaborating "wise practices" for sustainable coastal development was taken. First, an Electronic Discussion Group (EDG), involving leaders from pilot projects in Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Senegal and Uruguay, was convened for two periods during September-November 1998. While this EDG allowed the participants to share their experiences, it also raised a wide range of relevant issues (e.g. the difficulty of communicating across disciplinary lines, the need for indicators of "wise practices" for focused discussions and the question of practice transferability). Moreover, it became evident that both language as well as physical (no web connection, absence of computers) and cultural (preference for oral communication) constraints of community based inputs act as major impediments to participation in an EDG.

Secondly, a workshop: Towards Wise Coastal Development Practice (UNESCO Headquarters, 30 November-4 December 1998) brought together for the first time leaders from existing pilot projects (from coastal Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Mediterranean and the Baltic, as well as Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean Small Island Developing States) and UNESCO chairholders. It included coastal ecologists, oceanographers, geologists, ecological economists, sociologists, anthropologists, urban planners and environmental journalists, as well as representatives from municipalities, NGOs, universities and research institutes. While the workshop offered an opportunity for the participants to express an impressive array of viewpoints, stemming from their expertise in specific disciplines and individual experience with pilot projects (addressing diverse issues e.g. beach erosion, urban renewal, mangrove conservation and indigenous resource management), it also brought to the forefront the enormity of the task of developing "wise coastal practices", which would involve the weaving together of a wide range of methods and practices.

Other main activities undertaken under this project included:

Training courses and workshops

• Training courses on: Beach Monitoring Techniques (US Virgin Islands, January and June 1998); Sustainable Coastal Development (Dakar University, Senegal, January-November 1998); Duck Farming for Fishermen Families - Income Generating (Indonesia, June 1998); The Role of Partnership and Enablement as a Basis for Sustainable Urban Development (Egypt, June 1998); Fishery Management for five Fishermen Co-operatives/Associations (Haiti, June-December 1998); Shoreline Management (Antigua and Barbuda, October 1998); Video Production for Broadcast and Exchange (Grenada, November 1998)

• Workshops on: Restoration of Degraded Coastal Ecosystems (Senegal, February 1998); Methodology of Data Collection for Coastal Management (Togo, February 1998); Flooding in the coastal zone of Lagos (Nigeria, June-October 1998); Creole Ethnoecological Knowledge along the Gulf of Gonave (Haiti, June and November 1998); Coastal Management and Sustainable Tourism in Ulugan Bay (Philippines, July and October 1998); Excavation and Protection of the Fulfinium Archeological Site and Recovery of the Early Christian Basilica (Croatia, August 1998); Environmental Science and Management Studies (Latvia, August 1998); Socio-economic Analyses of Fisher Communities in Portland Bight (Jamaica, August and December 1998); Use of Traditional Knowledge and Skills in the Management of Surin Islands and associated marine protected areas (Thailand, November 1998); Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coral Reefs (India, November 1998).

Conferences and meetings

• Steering Committee for Urban Development and Freshwater Resources (Paris, March 1998)
• International Seagrass Biology Workshop (Philippines, April 1998)
• International Conference on Education and Training in Integrated Coastal Management (Italy, May 1998)
• Pacific Youth Forum on Growing Up in a World of Change (Australia, May 1998)
• Integrated Management and Sustainable Development of the Uruguayan Coast of the Rio de la Plata -ECOPLATA Project (Uruguay, May 1998)
• Round Table Meetings on Underwater Archaeology and Coastal Management of Qayet Bay Area and Pharos Site (Alexandria, Egypt, September and December 1998)
• International Residential Seminar for Sustainable Development of Omisalj (Croatia, October 1998)
• BILKO Coastal Remote Sensing Steering Committee Meeting and Workshop (United Kingdom, July 1998; The Netherlands, November 1998).

Major publications and documents

• CSI Info 6: Coast and beach stability in the Caribbean Islands - COSALC Project Activities 1996-1997 (English, French)
• Coping with beach erosion - Coastal Management Sourcebook 1
• Manual of Fish Eggs and Larvae from Asian Mangrove Waters
• Saint John/ Saint Thomas (US Virgin Islands) Beach Monitoring Field Manuals
• Beach monitoring programme, US Virgin Islands. Summary and assessment report
• Planning for Coastline change. Coastal development setback guidelines in Nevis/Antigua and Barbuda (to see these you will need to get Adobe Acrobat Reader)

UNESCO Chairs

• UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Coastal Development established at the University of the Philippines in August 1998.

		Introduction    Activities   Publications			word search
		Wise Practices   Regions   Themes