 |
Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
 |
|
Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
|
 |
Coasts and small islands:
Targets for integrated efforts
A new UNESCO endeavour was launched, on 1 January 1996, for
the "Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and in
Small Islands" (CSI). The CSI Project's goal is to assist
Member States towards integrated coastal planning and management
by advancing knowledge, promoting the application of research
results and related capacity building.
A holistic approach
CSI is part of the Organization's response to calls for
cross-sectoral, integrated approaches to environmental problems.
Such calls stem particularly from the UN Conference on
Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, June 1992). They
have been repeated many times, notably in the Programme of Action
of the UN Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States (SIDS, Barbados, April-May 1994).
In 1995 interdisciplinary discussions and preparatory work in the Organization's
Secretariat led to the elaboration of a framework of ideas which, in turn, were
supported in a statement issued jointly by the Chairpersons of UNESCO's five
international/intergovernmental undertakings in the environmental and social
sciences: IOC, MAB,
MOST, IHP, and IGCP. (*)
Shortly thereafter, the Project was voted into existence at the 28th Session
of the UNESCO General Conference (Paris, 25 October - 16 November 1995).
Background
In this context, several chapters of UNCED's Agenda 21 are
relevant, such as: (8) "integrating environment and
development in decision-making"; (17) "protection of
the oceans, all kinds of seas, including enclosed and
semi-enclosed areas, and coastal areas, and the protection,
rational use and development of their living resources";
(35) "science for sustainable development"; and (36)
"promoting education, public awareness and training".
Chapter 17 includes relevant programme areas concerning: (i)
integrated management and sustainable development of coastal and
marine areas, including exclusive economic zones; (ii)
sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources under
national jurisdiction; and (iii) sustainable development of small
islands. The 1994 Barbados conference (see para. 2) approved a
more detailed programme for small island developing states. CSI
will address issues in several of these domains.
Coastal management is now a key task facing maritime nations.
Some of the technical and environmental issues to be considered
include: (i) loss of biodiversity, (ii) environmental pollution
and degradation, (iii) depletion of renewable and non-renewable
natural resources and (iv) natural disaster reduction. In
addition, there are many social, economic and cultural factors to
be considered in arriving at solutions.
CSI - rationale and objectives
Four pilot projects are being developed at sub-regional
level, with the overall objective of designing scientific
guidelines and methods for the integrated planning and management
of coastal regions and small islands towards sustainable
development. The projects aim at securing the effective
cooperation among environmental and social specialists, local
stakeholders (people actually living in these areas or having
vested interests there), educators and others concerned with the
problems.
The projects concern:
At present, the pilot projects focus, respectively, on sites in
the Pacific island countries, East Africa, South-East Asia, and
Caribbean regions. Each pilot project supports activities in
three areas: (i) cultural and socio-economic dimensions,
including traditional management practices; (ii) technical and
scientific analyses; and (iii) training, community education and
public awareness.
Actions will be taken jointly by UNESCO programmes in different
sectors, in cooperation with other bodies. With Member States
they will study the various problems and come up with recommended
guidelines and policies. UNESCO's field offices will play an
important role in this process.
What about other coasts and islands?
As indicated above, the pilot projects necessarily focus on
specific regions. Other areas will be involved on a worldwide
basis where particular situations can be addressed in a manner
allowing progress towards one of the pilot-project objectives, as
a model or example.
The CSI programme is currently in its initial development. It is
expected that the materials and guidelines emanating from the
various activities, to be widely disseminated, will have a
catalysing or carry-on effect towards enhancing the choices that
may pertain in the case of similar problems in other geographical
areas.
The focal point for these activities is:
UNESCO-CSI, 1 rue Miollis, 75732 Paris cedex 15, France; fax:
(33-1) 4783 5940; e-mail: csi@unesco.org
Note:
Priority - Africa
A United Nations System-wide special initiative on Africa dealing
with its socio-economic plight, is being launched by relevant UN
agencies (primarily and formally by the UN Secretary General and
others on 15 March 1996). On its part, UNESCO concentrates much
effort in this direction. For example, in the domain of capacity
building for the enhancement of coastal management, support is
provided for research and training workshops, field studies and
publication of results.
Wide-ranging concerns of CSI partners
Below are short contributions from relevant units in various sectors, in UNESCO and outside, which collaborate in the direction of the CSI effort. The objective here is not necessarily to report on CSI activities per se, but to elicit the flavour and breadth of the Project's fields of interest and a few concerns of some of the partners.
Culture and environment in mangrove management
As part of the UN World Decade for Cultural Development (WDCD),
networks have been established in South and South-East Asia which
bring together members of NGOs, government officials, academics
and community representatives to address the interlinked themes
of the "Cultural Context of Natural Resource
Management" and the "Cultural Dimension of Development
in Asia". Representatives from several countries of the
region have met to debate this new perspective, to exchange
experiences and to share possible solutions.
One major issue addressed by the network has been the rapid
depletion of coastal mangrove forests throughout much of
South-East Asia. Over the last thirty years, large portions of
coastline have been denuded of mangrove forests due to the
large-scale cutting of wood for charcoal production and the rapid
expansion of intensive shrimp farming. Network participants are
investigating a community forestry approach to mangrove
management, applying participatory action research methods to
elicit local support, unveil local solutions and reinstate
traditional management practices.
Source: Culture Sector (CLT/DEC), UNESCO.
Integrated Coastal Zone Management: A practical guide
In the domain of ICZM, most countries are now trying to work out
a rational policy to combine "environment and
development", a goal difficult to achieve in view of
potentially conflicting interests and the lack of an integrated
vision of coastal phenomena. The elaboration of a policy in this
area implies the participation of all those who are directly and
indirectly involved in decision making on CZM.
As most conflicts arise from the lack of objective information,
the task of scientists is to provide decision makers with
complete and impartial evaluations on the physical and biological
complexity of the coastal zone as well as on the changes due to
human activities.
In this context, a multidisciplinary working group was set up in
France as part of the UNESCO-IOC effort to move towards a more
rational approach to the problem. It is a response to the joint
statement of the chairpersons of the five intergovernmental or
international programmes of UNESCO (mentioned in the preceding
article). The aim is to define basic criteria for an adequate
understanding of the interaction of physical, biological,
demographic and other factors. The working group includes
representatives from certain of France's research agencies, such
as IFREMER, ORSTOM, BRGM, as well as some French universities.
Source: IOC of UNESCO
People and Plants
The UNESCO Office in Apia (Samoa) has started, in collaboration
with the University of the South Pacific, pilot activities on
community-based protection of endangered culturally important
plants in the Pacific islands. These are building the Pacific
network for the global WWF-UNESCO (MAB)- Kew "People and
Plants" initiative. The network promotes the protection,
enhancement and sustainable use of such plants, which communities
value and depend on. It includes ethnobotanical surveys of local
communities, preparation of lists of endangered plants,
development of protection/rehabilitation strategies, awareness
activities, and preparation of simple educational materials. The
network will work with governments and NGOs to protect Pacific
plants.
Source: UNESCO Office, Apia.
Training environmentalists
A ten-day workshop on underwater videography (as a tool for
scientific research and for heightening public awareness) for
coastal environmentalists was organized in 1995 jointly by UNESCO
and other bodies in Jamaica. Trainees, who had never before held
a video camera, were given hands-on training which resulted in
their production of three short underwater videos on various
topics. An article on this activity was included in the October
1995 issue of the UNESCO Caribbean Newsletter, published by the
Organization's Office in Kingston.
Source: Communication Division CII/COM), UNESCO
| Satellite Photo |  |
This computer-enhanced SPOT image
shows the Saloum Estuary (centre/right) and Sangomar
Point (upper left). Green = mangroves Blue = water and flooded areas Yellow = uncovered sand Such imagery is used as a coastal research tool by African scientists. Source: E. S. Diop (Senegal) and H. Chevillote (France). |
From: IMS Newsletter no. 77 (mid-96)
