Development of Coastal Zone Management in International and National Perspective

Abstract

In recent years there has been internationally as well as locally increased debate on coastal zone management issues. At the international level, following the 1992 Earth summit, where Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 declared the concept of 'integrated coastal management (ICM)' as a central concept in the management of coastal zones and oceans, the numbers of the guidelines for ICM programs have been developed by different organizations. At the local level, there have been among many developed countries great efforts to formulate, implement and continuously improve a coastal zone management program. This paper reviews progress of international movement toward further defining the concept of ICM and developing ICM guidelines, and presents results of an extensive literature review to examine characteristics that underlie the CZM plans and strategies in six nations, the US, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Australia and Japan. With particular emphasis on shoreline management, the aim is to identify the commonalties and differences in the management arrangements as well as some of the trends in administrative responses by analyzing historical circumstances and settings, legislation, institutional arrangements, and administrative structures.