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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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Coastal region and small island papers 11
Foreword
Small
islands, pinpoints of land in a seemingly endless expanse of water, have been
making theirs a ‘special case’ in a world increasingly dominated by continental
countries. Their plight has been described and discussed at global meetings
such as the ‘Earth
Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and at the ‘Global
Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States’
in Barbados in 1994.
However,
besides obtaining world-wide understanding of their situation, and at the same
time seeking external assistance to implement programmes of action for
sustainable development, such as the one agreed to in Barbados in 1994, small
islands also need to look inward and to their island neighbours to see what they
can do on their own and together with the resources at hand.
Recognizing
the value of human resources in small islands, and especially the inherent
self-reliance of islanders, UNESCO’s interdisciplinary platform for
‘Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and in Small Islands’ (CSI)
has sought to work with small islands on their paths to sustainability. Capacity
building is at the forefront of these efforts, as specific initiatives have been
launched and supported in varying fields, including local and indigenous
fishers’ knowledge, conservation of beach, coral-reef and mangrove resources,
disaster preparedness, ecotourism, to name but a few.
In
order to overcome the geographical isolation of small islands, linking these
initiatives within and between regions has become a complementary focus. In
December 2000, an inter-regional workshop for technical and professional persons
from small islands was held in Samoa. Here the benefits of interregional linking
were confirmed, as islanders from diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds,
working in government service, non-governmental organizations, academia and aid
agencies, came together to advance a small-island agenda, built on an
essentially pragmatic approach, that of wise coastal practices for sustainable
human development. This approach acknowledges the inequalities and diversities
of the real world and attempts in a practical manner to provide guidance on what
can wisely be done under the prevailing circumstances.
To
further this small-island agenda, a second inter-regional workshop was held in
Dominica in July 2001. Here participants developed specific ideas relating to
coastal conflict prevention and resolution through wise practice agreements and
ethical codes of practice, while continually focusing on the need for improved
communication. These ideas are discussed in detail in the present publication.
Workshops
such as these in Samoa and Dominica, are not endpoints, but represent progress
along the road to sustainable development. The outcomes from the meeting in
Dominica are already being developed into further initiatives linking small
islands. One of these relates to the issue of land tenure, which lies at the
root of many conflicts in small islands. A second initiative is ‘Small
Islands Voice’, an endeavour started in January 2002, which seeks to strengthen
internal, regional and inter-regional communication in and among small islands.
Through
such efforts, which continually focus on enhancing the capacity of human
resources in small islands, it is hoped to assist islanders to chart their own
future – a future based on practicality, which recognizes the uniqueness and
self-reliance of island peoples, and founded on the principles of
sustainability.
Dirk
G. Troost,
Chief CSI
Alexandra
Burton-James,
Secretary-General, UNESCO
National
Commission for the Commonwealth of Dominica
Gillian
Cambers,
UNESCO Consultant
