Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands

Coastal region and small island papers 9

Annex 6.17
Maldives perspective on wise coastal practices

Prepared by Ms Faathin Hameed
Revision date: 13^th November 2000

Background  

The livelihoods of Maldivians, centred around small island ecosystems and surrounding marine resources, have traditionally been focused on integrated and sustainable natural resource use. However, recent development trends, such as the adoption of imported building technologies, have had negative impacts, primarily on the fragile coral reef ecosystems. Initial sectoral programmes to address these issues have gradually been replaced by a more comprehensive and integrated approach; however, key issues relating to management of the environment and sustainable development need to be fully addressed.

Principal and immediate coastal-related issues

As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), where the entire population lives in low-lying coastal areas, nearly all environmental issues in the Maldives are related to integrated coastal management (ICM). Principal and immediate coastal-related issues relating to environment and development identified in the Second National Environment Action Plan of the Maldives include:

• beach erosion due to inappropriate human intervention in the coastal environment;

• threats to the biological diversity of coral reefs resulting from over-fishing of some reef resources, and increased reef habitat degradation;

• increased conflicts amongst reef resource users;

• greater stress on bait fish resources to support the pole-and-line tuna fishery, one of the mainstays of the national economy;

• increased stress on island freshwater leases fuelled by growth in island populations;

• groundwater contamination and environmental degradation due to inadequate solid waste and sewage disposal practices;

• increasing population pressure seen in overcrowding, encroachment onto beach areas, necessitating land use planning and sustainable resource use;

• vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise.

Significant programmes and projects

Since the late 1980s, certain environmental degradation trends have been mitigated and slowed by a strong environmentally-friendly policy. Strategies adopted by the Government of the Maldives include the passing of national environmental legislation in 1993, the establishment of an Environment Ministry and supporting institutional arrangements such as mandatory environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements, and the implementation of a National Environmental Action Plan.

Significant programmes/projects (ongoing and planned) in the Maldives to address the issues identified above are listed herewith under general headings:

Significant gaps in ongoing and planned activities

While the above programmes and projects represent substantive steps to address pressing issues in the sustainable use of coastal resources, these can be supplemented and enhanced through a greater emphasis and support for integrated approaches to coastal management. This need and strategies to address it we re identified in the Second National Environmental Action Plan (1999). However, the practical implementation of ICM is hindered by several constraints. These include:

• Major institutional issues including: (i) Lack of a cohesive and well defined  ICM policy and strategy, (ii) inadequate institutional arrangements to support ICM, (iii) insufficient and haphazard co-ordination between primary agencies involved in coastal and marine resources development, (iv) gaps in institutional capacity;

• Lack of data of temporal changes relating to unsustainable use of coastal and marine resources in some areas; over-exploitation of coral reefs, aquatic resources, sand mining, etc. and absence of a comprehensive data-base to record and monitor changes;

• Inadequate consultation with local communities at all stages of coastal management leading to a need for a strong enforcement orientation in the regulatory framework.

Hence, ongoing and planned programmes and projects need to address these institutional and data gaps, as well as to focus on the use of participatory approaches to ICM planning and implementation. There is also a need to formulate a cohesive and well-defined policy and strategy to promote wider and faster adoption of wise practices for ICM.

Scope for potential CSI activity

Possible focal areas for CSI to address these needs in a complementary manner include:

• Assistance in the development of management approaches to achieve integrated and participatory management;

• institutional strengthening and capacity building to support wise practices in management and, in particular, programmes for capacity building and enhancing awareness at the local community level.

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