Improving integration for integrated coastal zone management: an eight country study

Scenario-Based Hydrological Modeling for Designing Climate-Resilient Coastal Water Resource Management Measures: Lessons from Brahmani River, Odisha, Eastern India

Widespread urban expansion around the world, combined with rapid demographic and climatic changes, has resulted in serious pollution issues in many coastal water bodies. To help formulate coastal management strategies to mitigate the impacts of these extreme changes (e.g., local land-use or climate change adaptation policies), research methodologies that incorporate participatory approaches alongside with computer simulation modeling tools have potential to be particularly effective. One such research methodology, called the “Participatory Coastal Land-Use Management” (PCLM) approach, consists of three major steps: (a) participatory approach to find key drivers responsible for the water quality deterioration, (b) scenario analysis using different computer simulation modeling tools for impact assessment, and (c) using these scientific evidences for developing adaptation and mitigation measures. In this study, we have applied PCLM approach in the Kendrapara district of India (focusing on the Brahmani River basin), a rapidly urbanizing area on the country’s east coast to evaluate current status and predict its future conditions. The participatory approach involved key informant interviews to determine key drivers of water quality degradation, which served as an input for scenario analysis and hydrological simulation in the next step. Future river water quality (BOD and Total coliform (Tot. coli) as important parameters) was simulated using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool, considering a different plausible future scenario (to 2050) incorporating diverse drivers and pressures (i.e., population growth, land-use change, and climate change). Water samples (collected in 2018) indicated that the Brahmani River in this district was already moderately-to-extremely polluted in comparison to the desirable water quality (Class B), and modeling results indicated that the river water quality is likely to further deteriorate by 2050 under all of the considered scenarios. Demographic changes emerged as the major driver affecting the future water quality deterioration (68% and 69% for BOD and Tot. coli respectively), whereas climate change had the lowest impact on river water quality (12% and 13% for BOD and Tot. coli respectively), although the impact was not negligible. Scientific evidence to understand the impacts of future changes can help in developing diverse plausible coastal zone management approaches for ensuring sustainable management of water resources in the region. The PCLM approach, by having active stakeholder involvement, can help in co-generation of the coastal management options followed by open access free software, and models can play a relevant cost-effective approach to enhance science-policy interface for conservation of natural resources.

The Comparative Study of Adaptation Measure to Sea Level Rise in Thailand

In the 21st century, global sea level rise associated with climate change will affect beach areas, which provide a number of benefits that include benefits to the recreational sector of the economy. In Thailand, the adoption of structural measures in order to slow down beach erosion and handle the impact of sea level rise is commonly implemented. However, structural measures often bring about negative effects on nearby coastal areas. For this reason, suitable adaptation measures should be determined, in order to protect beach areas and to sustain the tourism carrying capacity of the beach. This study analyzed historical shoreline changes using satellite images, and assessed beach value with the hedonic pricing method. We used a benefit–cost ratio analysis to evaluate the economic valuation assessment of Pattaya beach and Chalatat beach. The results showed that the beach values of Pattaya beach and Chalatat beach were 1,072,250 and 92,092 USD, respectively. The benefit–cost ratio analysis proposed that it is worth implementing beach nourishment for the adaptation measure to address all climate change scenarios. In response to climate change, recommendations could be applied to support beach tourism.

Assessing the Complexity of Social-Ecological Systems: Taking Stock of the Cross-Scale Dependence

Human demands and activities introduce cross-scale pressures in different systems and scales, affecting the provision of ecosystem services and causing an unbalanced effect on human well-being within the territory. The existing institutions are frequently considered panaceas since they do not take into account the different spatial and jurisdictional scales of the social-ecological systems (SES). This paper aims to broaden the existing DPSIR (Drivers–Pressures–State–Impact–Response) assessment frameworks to strengthen the ecosystem approach and promote an integrated cross-scale perspective. The concept of the Cross-scale Ecosystem-Based Assessment (DIET) was developed and applied to a case study on the demand of seafood provisions. The assessment has indicated that the activities related to the specified demand occur at different scales and generate cumulative impacts and pressures on other scales, especially in the coastal zone. The existing responses to address this issue are highly fragmented, both spatially and among sectors. DIET was applied here to the land–sea interface to illustrate how coastal zone governance and management can be improved and how the impact of certain drivers or activities in the SES can be reduced. DIET may help to reduce the governance morbidity and prevent panaceas by fostering the integration of institutions in pursuing flexible, adaptive and fit-for-purpose policies to address complex issues so as to secure social-ecological justice and well-being for all humans.

The changing paradigm of coastal management: The Portuguese case

Until the 1980s, the primary goal of coastal works projects was to ensure safety at any cost. This was addressed in an essentially physical manner. Today, concerns are no longer limited to safety; lifestyle and quality of life have become essential components in the successful construction of coastal infrastructure. Other aspects of development have also become important, such as environmental impact, attractiveness and sustainability. New social realities must be addressed, as must the voices of actors and interest groups. The synthesis of recent concerns over coastal public works projects has become increasingly difficult due to new assumptions of value, social acceptance and the sustainability of these projects. In this context, it is now common knowledge that decision-making on a coastal issue should be based on multiple criteria, including technical effectiveness, costs, benefits, implementation and monitoring. Here, coastal issues are reviewed using the dual perspective of meeting current needs and ensuring future sustainability. It is shown that multifunctional facilities built near the coast are one viable solution for managing coastal erosion. The results of a case study conducted in a sensitive area of the Portuguese coast are also presented. Based on an exhaustive review of the literature, it is also shown that improving nautical sports and generating renewable energy should not be neglected. Finally, contemporary adaptation measures and future accommodation options are recommended.

Assessment of coastal turbidity improvement potential by terrigenous sediment load reduction and its implications on seagrass inhabitable area in Banate Bay, central Philippines

This paper demonstrates the effects of terrigenous sediment load reduction by watershed managements on coastal turbidity in Banate Bay, Iloilo located in central Philippines, using field observations and numerical simulations. Measurements of the total suspended solid and particulate organic carbon indicated that the bulk component of the coastal turbidity comprised terrigenous mineral particles rather than phytoplankton at the rise of the river after heavy rain. The suspended sediment concentration and underwater light intensity were simulated by an atmosphere-watershed-coastal ocean model to investigate the contribution of the terrigenous sediment load to the coastal turbidity in rainy season. The coastal sediment simulation indicated that the turbidity in Banate Bay is highly impacted by terrigenous sediment inputs from distant watersheds, which are transported to the bay by coastal currents. In contrast, the contributions of sediment loads from the adjacent watersheds to the bay turbidity were limited. The simulation also indicated that the majority of the bay is not inhabitable for seagrasses due to limited light availability caused by the high turbidity. Scenario analysis of the sediment load reduction demonstrated that significant reduction of turbidity and improvement of light penetration are conditionally expected only when the remediation is implemented with cooperative management of a series of neighboring watersheds because of the significant contributions of sediment loads from multiple basins.

Regulatory Challenges in Realizing Integrated Coastal Management—Lessons from Germany, Costa Rica, Mexico and South Africa

Integrated coastal management (ICM) has been considered worldwide to be a suitable approach to realizing comprehensive schemes to protect or develop coastal regions. A complex regulatory system stretching from international to local levels provides a framework for ICM practices. This raises the question whether and to what extent ICM practices have been supported by legal and policy frameworks at the international and national levels in different settings in both developed and developing countries. This paper examines four case studies in Germany, Costa Rica, Mexico and South Africa. Two research methods were used. First, a document-based analysis was conducted in two parts: a literature review of the content of ICM, and a policy and law analysis of the jurisdictions of the four case studies and at the international level (i.e., treaties and declarations). Second, a qualitative analysis was conducted based on in-depth interviews involving 21 decisionmakers representing all the case studies. With a view to enhance the effective use of international and national legal and policy instruments and their implementation in a more local site specific context, this study considers four principles currently guiding ICM practices: (i) incorporation of international instruments’ principles in national legal and policy frameworks, (ii) participation, (iii) sustainable development and (iv) monitoring. An I-P-S ((I) incorporation of international instruments’ principles in national frameworks, (P) participation (S) sustainable development) diagram is used for an integrative assessment of ICM and indicates directions for further improvements at the case study sites. The embeddedness of ICM into national legal and policy frameworks is a success factor for ICM, however, it is often limited due to a lack of implementation. Furthermore, ICM can easily be jeopardized if ICM is allocated a marginalized position.

Developing and sustainably utilize the coastal mudflat areas in China

Coastal mudflat areas are regarded as the important reserve land resource in China. Rational exploitation and development of the mudflat areas can relieve the stress of inadequate land resources. Probing into the developing models of resource exploitation of coastal tidal mudflats is one of the important components of achieving the sustainable development in the coastal areas. Therefore, the development history of coastal mudflats after 1950s in China is briefly introduced in this paper. Then, the status in quo of the modes of development and utilization of coastal mudflat in China the paper is reviewed with a special attention payed to the agricultural use of coastal resource, especially halophytes and improved salt-tolerant varieties planting, agricultural dyke pond and coastal saline-alkali soil remediation. Based on related research frontier, sustainable developmental prospects of these coastal areas are presented as well.