Course: LLB I

Subject : Environment Law

Unit: 4

COASTAL ZONE

Coast is the zone of interaction between

land and sea where both land & oceanic

processes works.

It is most dynamic, resourceful and disaster

prone zone of any country.

Coastal zone always include floodplains,

mangroves, marshes, and fringing coral

reefs.

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Coastal zone management involves

managing coastal areas to balance

environmental, economic, human health,

and human activities.

Coastal Management integrates the

biological, physical, and policy sciences to

plan and execute sustainable solutions for

environmental challenges where land meets

water.

INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

ICZM is a process for the management of the coast

using an integrated approach, regarding all aspects

of the coastal zone, including geographical and

political boundaries, in an attempt to achieve

sustainability.

It is a dynamic, multidisciplinary and iterative

process to promote sustainable management of

coastal zones.

It covers the full cycle of information collection,

planning (in its broadest sense), decision making,

management and monitoring of implementation.

WHY COASTAL ZONE IS NEEDED TO BE MANAGED?

The coast of Bangladesh is prone to natural disasters like

cyclone, storm surge and flood. The combination of natural

and man-made hazards, such as erosion, high arsenic

content in ground water, water logging, earthquake, water

and soil salinity, various forms of pollution, risks from climate

change, etc, have adversely affected lives and livelihoods in

the coastal zone and slowed down the pace of social and

economic developments in this region.

Due to lack of appropriate guidelines for natural resource

conservation and utilization, land use conflicts occur and the

coastal zone turned into areas of major conflicts.

Moreover the local communities have been haphazardly

utilizing these resources, resulting in complete destruction of

some of them (e.g. Chakaria Sundarban mangrove forest),

some being over-utilized (e.g. coastal shrimp farming, natural

fish stock) while some other resources remain under-utilized

(e.g. molluscs, seaweeds).

Increasing population, competition for limited resources,

natural and man-made hazards, lack of economic

opportunities, important ecological hot spots, etc, calls for

distinctive coastal management.

WHY COASTAL ZONE IS NEEDED TO BE MANAGED?

SCOPE ICZM IN INDIA

Management of Coastal People

Management of Coastal Resources

Management of Coastal Economy

Management of Coastal Environment

Sustainable Management of all above

issues

Coastal Management Issues

Population Growth

Infrastructure

Demand/Supply Analysis

Analysis of Opportunity

Analysis of Challenges

ICZM — KEY TO COASTAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

The goals of ICZM are:

Economic Growth

Poverty Reduction & Social Development

Achieving the targets of the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs).

Reduction of poverty

Development of sustainable livelihoods and the

integration of the coastal zone into national

processes can take place.

Inter-Sectoral Policy Linkages:

For ICZM following policies has been reviewed:

National Environment Policy (1992).

National Tourism Policy (1992).

National Forest Policy (1994).

National Policy for Safe Water Supply and Sanitation (1998).

National Fisheries Policy (1998).

National Agricultural Policy (1999).

Industrial Policy (1999).

National Water Policy (1999).

Draft National Land Use Policy (1999).

Draft National Wetlands Policy (1998).

All of these policies have clear implications for coastal development, but in

most cases do not have specific sections on coastal areas and often fail to

capture the distinctive combinations of vulnerabilities and opportunities that

characterize the coast.

ICZM — KEY TO COASTAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

Coastal Planning ToolsAdministrative

Policy and Legislation

Coastal Zoning

Regulation an Enforcement

SocialCustomary Practice

Community Based Management

Capacity building

Technical EIA

Risk and Hazard Management

Resource Analysis: Demand/Supply

Economic Analysis

Engineering Measures of ICZM

Protection from Storm

Protection from Shoreline Erosion

Protection of Coastal Water

(Pollution/Salinity)

Protection of Biodiversity

1. COASTAL ZONE POLICY (CZPo), (2005)

The specific objectives of the Coastal Zone Policy are sharply

focused on pro-poor growth with due considerations to

environmental management and equity, as spelt out below:

Economic growth.

Meeting basis needs and creating livelihood opportunities for

coastal communities.

Reduction of vulnerabilities and enhancement of coping

capacities.

Equitable distribution of resources and economic benefits

across social strata.

Empowerment of coastal communities.

Women’s advancement and promotion of gender equality.

Sustainable management of natural resources.

Preservation and enhancement of critical ecosystems.

2. COASTAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CDS), (2006)

The CDS is the linking pin between the CZPo and concrete

interventions. It prepares for coordinated priority actions and

arrangements for their implementation through selecting

strategic priorities and setting targets.

The CDS is a targeted process and the targeting is identified

with respect to:

1. Regions (islands and chars, exposed coastal zone or

districts; high tsunami risk area; South-West region);

2. Disadvantaged groups (erosion victims, women and

children, fisher and small farmers);

3. Issues (shrimp culture, land zoning; groundwater

management, climate change); and

4. Opportunities (tourism, renewable energy, marine fisheries)

2. COASTAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CDS), (2006)

Nine strategic priorities, evolved through a consultation process,

guides interventions and investments in the coastal zone:

1. ensuring fresh and safe water availability

2. safety from man-made and natural hazards

3. optimizing use of coastal lands

4. promoting economic growth

5. sustainable management of natural resources

6. improving livelihood conditions of people; especially women

7. environmental conservation

8. empowerment through knowledge management

9. creating an enabling institutional environment

3. PRIORITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM (PIP), (2004)

The priority areas of investment program are:

Mitigation of natural disasters, safety and protection.

Environment management – protection and regeneration of the

environment.

Water resources management.

Rural livelihoods and sustainable economic opportunities for

coastal communities.

Productive economic activities and focused development of

tourism and fisheries sector.

Infrastructure development.

Social development including health and nutrition, education, and

water and sanitation.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Holistic definition of coastal zone provides guidelines for

protection of water bodies and acquisition of land for non-

productive use.

Introduction of the concept of zoning as management.

Coastal Embankment Rehabilitation Project (CERP) was

launched after the cyclone of April 1991. CERP fostered the

concept of polder management involving other stakeholders

including the local community. Polders are now a natural

feature of the coastal hydro-morphological setting. Now 123

coastal polders have >5000km of embankments.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

The Forest Department started coastal afforestation in 1966. Vast

areas in newly accreted chars and islands were put under mangrove

plantation with the help of the local people. Forest belt along the

coast, Coastal Green Belt, has been instrumental in protecting life

and property in coastal areas from cyclone and storm surges.

People’s participation in planning is ensured by this type of project.

Institutionalization of integrated coastal management has been

attempted in recent years through a number of initiatives. The Char

Development & Settlement Project (CDSP), on-going since 1994,

may be mentioned in this respect. As many as six GoB agencies are

partners of CDSP. Together they have been able to demonstrate a

culture of working together coordinated by a lead Ministry/agency

(MoWR/BWDB). At the field (district) level, the coordination is done

through regular PMC meetings. This provides a good example of

inter-agency interaction and cooperation.

The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS)initiated Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) in theearly 1970s that eventually developed into a worldmodel of physical and institutional infrastructure fordisaster management in cyclone prone areas. Morethan 2000 multi-purpose cyclone shelters were built sofar to provide security to the people in the vulnerableareas. An extensive network of radio communicationcontributes in cyclone preparedness of coastalcommunities.

More than 50,000 ha of new lands were reclaimedalong the Noakhali coast through Meghna cross dams.Subsequently, these newly accreted lands were usedfor new settlements and socio-economic developmentof the people.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

KEY CHALLENGES COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Unclear definitions of land to be set aside for conservation.

Piecemeal efforts to address coastal management through policy.

Implementation of policy and strategy directives remains poor despite

adoption of CZP (2005) and CDS, (2006).

Widespread poverty, limited livelihood opportunities (especially outside

agriculture) and poorly developed economic linkages, including poor

access to national and international markets that are even more severe

than in other parts of rural Bangladesh.

Poor levels of service provision and very poorly developed institutional

structure (with both government and non-government institutions weakly

represented in many coastal communities) that make the isolation of many

coastal areas worse.

Highly unequal social structures, with small powerful elite dominating the

mass of people, allied to high levels of conflict and poor law and order.

KEY CHALLENGES COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Active processes of land erosion and accretion in the Meghan Estuary

combined with geological and tectonic processes that are causing land to

sink.

Changing patterns of land use, both in the coastal zone (including the

growth of shrimp and salt production) and over the catchment as a whole

that are affecting the coast’s morphology and water resources

characteristics.

Declining viability of many distinctive and threatened coastal ecosystems,

including the Sundarbans and other mangroves, coastal wetlands and

marshes, and offshore marine habitats that are important spawning

grounds.

Widespread pollution and resource degradation, including ‘hotspots’ such

as the coast north of Chittagong as well as areas affected by more

widespread processes.

Poor access to many forms of infrastructure and technologies

and many examples of technical interventions that are poorly

adapted to the characteristics of coastal areas.

Surface and sub-surface Stalinization, including saline intrusion

into freshwater aquifers some distance from the coast.

Poor resource management, including the unsustainable

exploitation of fish resources and poor ground and surface water

management.

Rapid decline in key common property resources such as marine

fisheries, mangroves and freshwater resources.

The long-term effects of climate change, with predicted rises in

sea levels, possible increases in the frequency of major storms

and changes in rainfall patterns over the whole Ganges-

Brahmaputra basins.

KEY CHALLENGES COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

KEY INITIATIVES NEEDED FOR THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

• Generation of information and filling

knowledge gaps through-

Coastal Resources Survey

Integrated Coastal Resources Database

Modeling Tools

Information dissemination

Capacity Building

KEY INITIATIVES NEEDED FOR THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

Dissemination of information to assist decision-making:

Fragmented management of coastal resources and restricted

sharing of information have resulted in poor awareness and

knowledge among coastal dwellers (Sekhar, 2005). It is therefore

important to disseminate information among all stakeholders and

ensure their active participation.

Harmonizing sectoral policies, plans and laws: Lack of

coordination between different local agencies and power structures

often makes it difficult to implement integrated programmes. If

departmental goals are in conflict, effective participation in integrated

programmes by the agencies involved may be awkward (Sekhar,

2005). Therefore, harmonizing national policies and mainstreaming

the ICZM approach into sectoral policies is of great importance.

Appreciation of ecosystem linkages: Linkages among

coastal, marine and freshwater systems (watersheds, river

basins) are increasingly becoming recognized as critical to

the successful management of coastal systems.

Improved governance: Overall improvement of governance

is important to ensure accountability and transparency in

coastal zone management. Enactment of coastal legislation

might be important in curbing conflicting and environmentally

detrimental activities (Olsen and Christie, 2000).

Ensuring sustained political support: Sustained political

support is indispensable to the success of the ICZM process.

To generate such political and public support, demonstration

of integrated regional and local programmes is important.

KEY INITIATIVES NEEDED FOR THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

References:1. COASTAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CDS), (2006)

2. PRIORITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM (PIP), (2004)

3. Coastal Zone Management Act, 1972

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