Human Development Report - Croatia 2008 Coastal Zone and Sea-Level Rise^85Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management
(ICZM) in the Mediterranean, as part of the UNEP’s
“Mediterranean Action Plan” and the “Convention for
the Protection of the Marine Environment and Coastal
Zone of the Mediterranean” (Barcelona Convention).
The Protocol assists countries to better manage their
coastal zones, and addresses the emerging coastal en-
vironmental challenges, such as climate change. After
ratification, all countries will have to integrate the el-
ements of the Protocol into national legislation. This
would be an ideal time to consider the influence of
sea-level rise on the coast, on coastal structures and
on infrastructure.
Box 5-2:Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Integrated Maritime Spatial PlanningWhen we discuss coastal zone management, we of-
ten refer to, so-called, Integrated Coastal Zone Man-
agement (ICZM). There has long been a consensus
that ICZM is important, but there are few examples
worldwide where good practices have actually tak-
en place. One of the definitions for ICZM is the fol-
lowing:
“Integrated coastal zone management means
a dynamic process for the sustainable manage-
ment and use of coastal zones, taking into ac-
count at the same time the fragility of coastal
ecosystems and landscapes, the diversity of
activities and uses, their interactions, the mari-
time orientation of certain activities and uses
and their impact on both the marine and land
parts.”^16
As the definition implies, ICZM is a very complex
concept and thus requires a broad-based approach
involving different sectors. All of these sectors are
relevant to human development, both within and
outside the coastal area. Sustainably using coastal
resources and strictly complying with ICZM legisla-tion and policies would significantly reduce the ad-
aptation options needed in the future.
The newly-emerging instrument for managing off-
shore areas is Integrated Maritime Spatial Planning
(IMSP). To address those cases where the ICZM is
seen as an on-shore and coastal waters tool, IMSP
takes a spatial planning approach that covers both
on-and off-shore areas (thus covering maritime
transport or off-shore drilling, for example). The use
of IMSP is being strongly promoted by the EU, in
its Future Maritime Policy.^17 IMSP also provides the
methodology for implementing an ecosystem ap-
proach for the sustainable use of marine resources.IX
The influence of sea-level rise on maritime off-shore
activities will probably be less prominent, so adapta-
tion options for this sector are of less priority. These
adaptation costs would primarily consist of the cost
of new measurements for new maps and charts and
of moving mariculture production to new sites.IX See UNESCO’s Ecosystem-based Marine Spatial Management
Initiative. Online: http://www.unesco-ioc-marinesp.be/Figure 5-9: Storm surge in Rijeka.Source: HINA.