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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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Annex 1
Coastal states commit themselves to "integrated management and sustainable development of the coastal areas under their national jurisdiction". The text stresses the need to reach integration, the application of preventive and precautionary approaches, and full public participation. It calls for integrated policy and decision-making processes and institution ("Each coastal State should consider establishing, or where necessary strengthening, appropriate co-ordinating mechanisms - such as a high level policy planning body - for integrated management and sustainable development of coastal and marine areas, at both the local and national levels…). It also provide s a series of suggested actions such co-ordinations should consider undertaking, such as preparation of coastal use plans, environmental impact assessment and monitoring, contingency planning for both human-induced and natural disasters, improvement of coastal human settlements, conservation and restoration of critical habitats and integration of sectoral programs in to an integrated framework. Also called for is co-operation among states in the preparation of national guidelines for integrated coastal management and the undertaking of measures to maintain biodiversity and productivity of marine species and habitats under national jurisdiction.
This section also highlights the need for information on coastal physical systems and use, education and training in coastal management and capacity building of human resource capacity, support pilot demonstration programs and project, and establishment of centres of excellence in the area. There is a string affirmation in this section of the need to include traditional ecological knowledge and socio-cultural values as an input to management and of importance of coastal areas for indigenous peoples.
Because of their special characteristics (small size, limited resources, geographical dispersion and isolation from markets, ecological fragility and vulnerability and high degree of biodiversity), small island in general and small-island developing states represent special challenge in integrating environment and development. For small-island developing states oceans and coasts are of paramount importance as a way for development, both for strategic reason and for environmental challenge facing their coastal zones. To meet the challenges of planning for and implementing sustainable development, small-island developing states will need the co-operation and assistance of the international community.
States commit themselves to address the problems of sustainable development of small-island developing states (SIDS) and to adopt measures that will enable these states to address environmental change, mitigate adverse environmental effects and reduce threats to marine and coastal resources. SIDS, with the assistance of the international community, are called on to conduct studies of island environments, determine carrying capacity; prepare plans for sustainable development; adapt coastal area management techniques to the special characteristics of small islands; review and, where appropriate, reform existing institutional arrangement to provide for effective implementation of sustainable development plans, design and implement responses to effects of climate change; and promote environmentally sound technology for sustainable development. International organisations are called on to recognise the special development requirement of SIDS and give them adequate priority in providing assistance.
Inter-island, regional and interregional co-operation and information exchange should be strengthened. A call was made to convene a first global conference on sustainable development of SIDS in 1993.The section also call for the creation of centres coastal ocean science, technology, and management on regional basis, training programs in integrated coastal area management and development; and public awareness programs.