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Environment
and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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Environment
and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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July 1999 - December 1999
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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands (CSI)
In the framework of this
project, support was provided to the intersectoral pilot
projects launched in different regions.
In Africa: assistance was
provided to a Ph.D. student from the UNESCO
Chair at Dakar University (Senegal, November). Only six (out of 14) students
graduated from the Chair (December), partly due to a lack of funds to undertake
field studies. Within the Lagos Flooding project (Nigeria), field activities
were continued on drainage channels in Ikoyi and Victoria Islands.
In the Arab States and Mediterranean regions: within the “Urban
Development and Freshwater Resources in Small Historic Coastal Cities”
project, proceedings of the intersectoral
seminar on the Mahdia case study (Tunisia) were finalized (December). In the
Adriatic region, the second campaign for the archaeological exploration of
coastal sites was organized (Omisalj, Croatia, August). Within the Alexandria
(Egypt) pilot project, an assessment of Qayet Bay Citadel and Lighthouse
archaeological site was completed, and a report on the feasibility of an
underwater museum was finalized.
In the small island developing States of the Caribbean and Pacific regions, a new subregional
project (funded by the Caribbean Development Bank) was launched (October) on
institutional strengthening in beach management in the Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through consultant visits to
Saint Kitts and Nevis (July, November), the US Virgin Islands (July), Turks and
Caicos Islands and Montserrat (December): (i) customized manuals on beach
monitoring were prepared and submitted to counterpart national agencies; (ii)
new beach monitoring software was installed; and (iii) national personnel were
trained in the use and management of the beach-change databases. An inter-agency
mission visited Grenada (December) to assess the beach erosion damage following
Hurricane Lenny and made recommendations for beach rehabilitation. Within the “Portland
Bight” pilot project (Jamaica), a 30-minute video documentary was produced
in two languages (English and Creole) at the end of 1999, for dissemination
among Fisher Associations in both Jamaica and Haiti. A socio-economic survey of
some 3 000 households was also conducted in 12 Portland Bight coastal
communities. In the “Gulf of Gonave” pilot
project (Haiti), the reinforcement of local associations of fishers has
continued. A simplified version of the Haitian fishing code has been translated
into Creole, targeting the specific needs of the local population.
In the Pacific region, community-based development in the Moripi Cultural Area (PNG) is
focusing on local knowledge and practice for sustainable human development. In
the Motu-Koitabu urban villages of Port Moresby, the second phase activities
have emphasized public awareness of the impact of increased urbanization and
expansion of Port Moresby City, attracting the attention of the media, Port
Moresby City administrators and national politicians. In partnership with MOST,
an action research workshop on growing up in cities (December) provided project
area youth with new tools to identify urban (social and environmental) problems,
and a novel opportunity to communicate their perspectives to local
decision-makers.
In the Asia region, in the Save Jakarta Bay pilot project, two traditional markets have
been operating a waste management programme, with Jakarta Municipality and a
local NGO, reducing the quantity of organic waste and helping people generate
alternative incomes. Incooperation with the Indonesian Institute of Technology,
a document on the Profile of River Bank Communities of the Angke River was
completed. The Indonesian monthly bulletin Laut-ku/My Ocean, aimed at encouraging students and young fishers to learn more about
coastal biology, coastal problems and related environmental education, has been
published since July. Within the UNESCO-UNDP FIT project Coastal Resources
Management and Sustainable Tourism in Ulugan Bay (Palawan Island, Philippines),
the socio-economic profile of communities and studies on traditional resource
use and culture of indigenous communities and on the potential of sustainable
tourism in Ulugan Bay were completed. In the Gulf of Khambay pilot project
(Gujarat, India), a socio-economic and cultural study was finalized to ascertain
the impact of the migrant worker community at the Alang ship-breaking yard on
the nearby coastal villages. Environmental monitoring of the coastal fauna and
flora was carried out. The Moken aspirations for a secure livelihood pilot
project (Surin Island, Andaman Sea, Thailand), with the IOC and the Culture
Sector, is reinforcing partnerships and dialogue between the indigenous Moken
people, the government and other stakeholders, to elaborate sustainable
development options that blend environmental conservation objectives with Moken
aspirations.
In Latin America, within the BioPlata project on biodiversity in the River Plata and
adjacent region, available taxonomic, biological and ecological information was
gathered, revised and entered into the data system. A CD-Demo was produced
(July-December). Participants to a workshop (August) from Argentina, Chile,
Brazil, United States and Mexico, agreed on the need to create a UNESCO Chair
with a training programme on sustainable management of renewable natural
resources in coastal regions, in view of the lack of trained professionals in
the region. The design for a postgraduate curriculum, strengthened academic and
institutional contacts, and a potential university Chair (Montevideo, Uruguay)
has been produced.
In the framework of the Nordic-Baltic network
on sustainable development of coastal resources, activities to raise
public awareness on sustainable coastal development were launched, in
cooperation with the Culture Sector and the Associated Schools Project, through
the World Ocean Museum (Kaliningrad, Russian Federation; August-December). The
first phase of a coastal exhibit was
prepared. Training in environmental management and sustainable development in
coastal regions was offered to municipal administrators, politicians, NGOs,
schoolteachers and headmasters. Community-based surveys on coastal environment
information, education and communication have been completed and reported for
two municipalities, and coastal environment policy guidelines initiated.
On the basis of lessons
learned from intersectoral pilot projects in association with UNESCO Chairs,
about 50 examples of “wise coastal practices for sustainable human
development” have been formulated and compiled via a global, multilingual,
web-based forum. The texts and software were substantially upgraded
(August/September) to encourage and facilitate further exchange and discussion
on the views expressed.
The combination of field
pilot projects, UNESCO Chairs and a web-based forum is proving to be effective
in elaborating, teaching, exchanging and field-testing wise practices for
sustainable coastal development and island living. Inadequacy of regular
programme funding during the second half of 1999 greatly affected the provision
of active support to certain intersectoral activities in several regions.
