Evaluation of ICZM in Europe
Contents
Main objectives
- To evaluate the implementation of the EU ICZM Recommendation of May 2002
- To evaluate the added-value of ICZM in the context of relevant existing and evolving Community policies/legislation
- To identify where a need for further action exists as regards coastal zone policy and to provide recommendations for further relevant action at Community level
Recommendations and further action
Following the analyses of national ICZM reports and strategies, submitted by coastal Member States in response to the ICZM Recommendation, in addition to a wide range of complementary information and data and intensive consultations with coastal stakeholders, the evaluation exercise resulted in the formulation of:
- 4 strategic and cros-cutting recommnedations, and
- 5 operational recommendations with a total of 19 recommended actions
Strategic recommendations
- Strengthen the European dimension of ICZM based on a Regional Seas approach (Follow the EEA recommendation of regionalisation and enhance ICZM activities on a supra-national level, providing a common European frame to help brining actors together, building capacities and harmonising practices in a trans-national perspective)
- Raise the profile of ICZM and enhance its integration with sectoral policies (Enhance stakeholders' identification with ICZM, create a cross-sectoral policy community from EU to local level and ensure incorporation of ICZM into current practices)
- Elaborate the strategic approach of ICZM -oriented at a balanced ecologic, social, economic and cultural development (Develop a common conceptual framework describing the geographical delimitations, development orientations, linking the EU ICZM Recommendation and stakeholder routines in a practical way)
- Address major long-term risks: vulnerability to disasters and climate change (Inlcude the vulnerability of the coast to disaters as well as the consequences of climate change, sea level rise and pollution on a Regional Sea level and in a long-term perspective, striving for the adoption of the Precautionary Principle)
Operational recommendations and actions
Endorse awareness, guidance, training and education
Raise awareness among coastal stakeholders by making better use of all instruments of information dissemination
Provide guidance and develop human capacities through education and training
Support ICZM training centres, staff exchage opportunities, university courses and advanced adult education
Proposed actions
- Raise awareness and promote ICZM
- Provide guidance on the preparation and performance of ICZM
- Support the establishment of ICZM training centres of excellence
- Offer possibilities for staff exchange between different regions and countries
- Review, endorse and promote academic courses on ICZM
Enhance stakeholder coordination and participation
Obtain a more comprehensive overview and insight of current ICZM practices in Europe
Establish an ICZM Advisory Board and create open stakeholder fora at European, Regional Sea and national levels to facilitate cross-sectoral stakeholder participation
Build on existing organisations and practices for implementation
Proposed actions
- Complete the stocktake exercise in due time
- Set up an ICZM advisory board at European level
- Create ICZM stakeholder fora at national, Regional Seas and European levels
- Build on existing organisations and practices, but modify these where necessary
Perform a mainstreaming of European policies
Incorporate ICZM in all pertinent programmes and instruments regarding their orientation (objectives) and the provision of funds
Clarify the role and relationship of the different policies and instruments in ICZM for all stakeholders
Proposed actions
- Make clear the practical role of relevant policy strategies and regulation affecting ICZM
- Incorporate ICZM in all pertinent funding instruments regarding their orientation and the conditioning of funds
Harmonise monitoring and evaluation frameworks
Draw up a baseline from a Sustainable Development perspective, including a a risk registry
Harmonise methodologies and indicators, data collection and exchange arrangements
Monitor imnplementation progress and carry out a long-term evaluation
Proposed actions
- Establish a common baseline for coastal zone development in Europe
- Harmonise monitoring and assessment methodologies and indicators
- Improve data collection and exchange
- Monitor ICZM implementation and carry out a long-term evaluation
Improve the knowledge basis for ICZM
Support ICZM research, in particular by linking into relevant action lines of FP7, and provide priority funding for projects fully in line with the principles of good ICZM
Promote learning from good practices and bad practices and tools to support decision making
Create a single European ICZM knowledge centre
Proposed actions
- Strengthen the ICZM component in FP7 research programmes
- Evaluate coastal management project results and experiences
- Develop and demonstrate suitable Decision Support Systems (DSS) for policy makers and practitioners
- Create a common knowledge centre
Capacity Building in the ICZM Evaluation Report
Endorse awareness, guidance training and education is one of the 5 operational recommendations of the ICZM Evaluation Report
According to this report, a crucial issue in the implementation of ICZM is the understanding and ownership of stakeholders along the European coast regarding this approach for a sustainable management of the coastal zone.
The promotion of awareness, guidance, education and training for ICZM is an important means to foster such ownership and to contribute to human capacity building
Main challenges
- Sectoral thinking has to be overcome
- Knowledge of basic economic, ecological and social processes has to be translated
- The ability to cooperate across spatial boundaries and scales has to be trained, taking collective decisions on a complex topic such as coastal development
Lack of Capacity Building activities
The ICZM evaluation questionnaire revealed that only a 31% of all respondents feel that such instruments are currently being used to address coastal zone issues in their country
