Economic and Social Council

 Distr. GENERAL
29 February 1996
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Fourth session
18 April-3 May 1996


                PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME OF
                ACTION FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL   
                             ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

                          Report of the Secretary-General

                                     Addendum

             Coastal area management in small island developing States


                                     CONTENTS

                                                              Paragraphs  Page

INTRODUCTION ...............................................    1 - 2       2

  I.  GENERAL OVERVIEW .....................................    3 - 5       2

 II.  ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROBLEM .......    6 - 9       3

III.  MAIN POLICY ISSUES ...................................      10        4

 IV.  CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ...............   11 - 21      5

      A.  Conclusions ......................................      11        5

      B.  Policy recommendations ...........................   12 - 21      5

          1.  At the national level ........................   12 - 16      5

          2.  At the international level ...................   17 - 21      6


                                   INTRODUCTION

1.   In their diversity, small island developing States range along a
continuum from aggregations of scattered atolls to relatively large land
masses.  Many atoll States are small, low-lying, sandy and infertile, densely
populated and poorly endowed with resources and opportunities for land-based
developments.  For practical purposes, these small island developing States
can be considered coastal areas. 1/  In contrast, larger, higher and
volcanically formed small island developing States have more extensive land
masses and usually lower population densities.  These States, with agriculture
and inland water systems similar to those found in continental States, are
capable of supporting tropical agriculture and a broader range of economic
activities.

2.   The special conditions and circumstances that set small island developing
States apart from other developing countries are acknowledged explicitly in
(a) the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982; (b) the
Strategy for Fisheries Management and Development, adopted by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1994; (c) the FAO
Technical Consultation on High Seas Fishing, 1992; (d) the Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development, 1992; (e) Agenda 21, chapter 17; (f) the
Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States, 1994; and (g) the Chairman's draft agreement for the implementation of
the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10
December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling fish
stocks and highly migratory fish stocks, 1994.


                               I.  GENERAL OVERVIEW

3.   For all small island developing States, the coastal zones are of major
social and economic significance for human settlement, subsistence
agriculture, fisheries and tourism.  However, demands on coastal resources are
endangering the long-term supply of these resources.  The conservation and
sustainable management of resources of coastal areas is known as "coastal area
management".  This offers the means to balance the competing demands of
different users of the same resources and to manage those resources
sustainably.  Coastal area management is of particular relevance to small
island developing States, for which the ocean and coastal areas present
opportunities for development, a formidable challenge and a threat in the
perspective of yet other emerging environmental problems such as global
warming and projected sealevel rise.

4.   In recent years, the weakness of conventional sectoral planning in
reaching sustainable solutions to conflicting demands for coastal resources
has become apparent.  In response, multi-sectoral, integrated approaches to
coastal area management began to be developed, in developed countries
primarily, but also in some developing countries.  The United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development gave support to this process by
stressing the importance for small island developing States to develop
national policies and management capabilities for the multi-sectoral use of
coastal areas.

5.   Furthermore, with the entry into force of the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea, and the relevance that coastal and marine areas have in
meeting essential human needs (food, employment, resources), many countries
are assuming a new and expanded role in the management of the coastal and
marine resources under national jurisdiction and in arrangements for regional
and international cooperation in the area of coastal zone management.


                II.  ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROBLEM

6.   The nature of problems faced by small island developing States with
respect to the effective conservation and management of their coastal and
marine resources, including fisheries and tourism, are not vitally different
from those of other States.  However, small island developing States are
disadvantaged in that they do not have at their disposal the same range of
solutions to these problems as do the larger States.  As essentially
self-contained ecosystems, problems related to coastal and marine resources
management and conservation in small island developing States usually manifest
themselves more obviously, more quickly and with greater effect than in larger
continental States.

7.   Although there are apparent differences between regional groupings of
small island developing States, and, indeed, even within regional groupings,
it is none the less possible to generalize about a number of characteristics
common among these States.  These characteristics include, inter alia:

     (a)  Disproportionately larger ratios of exclusive economic zones of
islands to their land areas;

     (b)  Very high levels of dependence on fish for food;

     (c)  High-density populations with high rates of growth (in many cases
between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent per annum, though markedly lower in the Caribbean
region) relative to the carrying-capacity of islands;

     (d)  High rates of urbanization (as high as 20 per cent per annum in some
cases), with inadequate or completely lacking coastal management policies;

     (e)  Intensive human settlements, with their domestic and productive
activities exerting a tremendous pressure on the fragile coastal environment
on which they base their development;

     (f)  High dependence on foreign development assistance;

     (g)  High levels of urban unemployment (20 per cent and higher of the
adult populations) and rural underemployment;

     (h)  Small, open, dependent and undiversified economies that are
extremely vulnerable;

     (i)  In some cases, substantial rates of outward population migration
resulting in critical loss of skills to the economy.

8.   All of these problems have obvious and direct bearings on coastal and
marine environments, societies and activities in small island developing
States.

9.   Sectoral approaches to development have failed to deal effectively with
the above problems and the situation is becoming more complex with increasing
demand on the natural resources of small island developing States and the
resulting conflicts in resource allocation and use.  This threatening
situation has led to an increasing interest, on the part of the authorities in
small island States, in the development of more appropriate schemes for the
management of their coastal areas and resources.


                             III.  MAIN POLICY ISSUES

10.  Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 has identified two critical areas for the
implementation of programmes in relation to coastal area management and human
settlements, namely, integrated management and sustainable development of
coastal and marine areas, including exclusive economic zones, and the
sustainable development of small islands.  Priority issues to be tackled in
the formulation of policies and strategies for the sustainable development of
human settlements in coastal areas and small islands include, inter alia:

     (a)  Integration of human settlements planning and management
considerations into the overall sustainable management of social and economic
development in coastal areas;

     (b)  Formulation and application of sustainable land-use policies;

     (c)  Development and application of information systems (data, indicators
etc.) to support assessments (such as environmental impact assessments) and
decision-making on settlements planning and management;

     (d)  Improvement of shelter and infrastructure in coastal human
settlements;

     (e)  Development and application of appropriate legislative and
institutional arrangements for the management of human settlements in coastal
areas;

     (f)  Introduction of natural disaster mitigation and environmental
criteria into the planning and management of coastal human settlements;

     (g)  Development and implementation of appropriate regulatory measures
and institutional mechanisms for the reduction, prevention, control and
monitoring of pollution in coastal areas, including the safe and efficient
management of toxic and hazardous wastes, solid and liquid wastes and the
proper management of waste disposal sites.


                    IV.  CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

                                  A.  Conclusions

11.  On the basis of the above considerations, and reviewing current and
planned activities, as well as the efforts being undertaken at the national
and international levels in coastal area management, particularly in small
island States, the following general conclusions can be reached and relevant
policy recommendations made:

     (a)  The understanding and appreciation of the value of integrated
coastal area management (ICAM) by policy makers in small island developing
States is a critical matter and should be promoted and pursued effectively;

     (b)  The concept of coastal area management has to be developed in the
context of sustainable development.  However, developing the concept and
disseminating information on its application would need priority attention. 
The development of a dual approach may be necessary, further raising awareness
among policymakers about the benefits of ICAM for small island developing
States, while building capacity to apply ICAM in practice (strengthening
national educational and training mechanisms is considered a matter of
priority in the implementation of effective solutions);

     (c)  Most of the efforts in integrated coastal area management, though
technically innovative, and in various cases successful at the local level
(generally associated with small geographic areas and/or a limited range of
activities), have evolved in isolation from the mainstream of the national
development process and have not been effectively integrated into national
development planning.  Furthermore, such efforts have not attracted a
substantial commitment of funds, all of which limitations have made these
undertakings not as effective as they could be in the medium or long term;

     (d)  The development and implementation of effective coastal area
management strategies of small island developing States for strengthening
national education and training mechanisms should be considered as a matter of
priority in order to facilitate the flow of information on sustainable
development issues, enhance public awareness and encourage participation in
the implementation of effective solutions.  A concerted effort on the part of
both national and international organizations is therefore required.


                            B.  Policy recommendations

                             1.  At the national level

12.  An integrated management of coastal areas should be developed by all
small island developing States.  This is an essential prerequisite for
sustainable development, as it has been learned from experience that policies
based on sectoral approaches fail to take into account the overall impact of
coastal development on resources.

13.  In developing national coastal area management strategies and plans, a
lead agency, authority or ministry, should be appointed by the Government of
each small island developing State to be in charge of integrated coastal and
marine areas management and to ensure that all steps are carried out with the
participation of all parties to be involved, including the private sector and
indigenous people.  Mechanisms for institutional coordination should also be
established.

14.  Coordination between sectors will be easier if line ministries and users
of natural resources recognize their respective roles in the integrated
coastal area management process and the impact of their activities on resource
users in the sector itself and in other sectors.  They must also have the
capacity to monitor and assess the effect of the activities of other sectors
on them.

15.  Though of limited extent, the ecologies of small island States are
complex and varied.  Detailed analysis of ecological conditions is therefore
required to provide an adequate form of integration and define improved
multiple use of the natural resources at the national level, in each small
island developing State.

16.  Increasingly, in recent years, it is being understood that the search for
solutions to conflicting demands in coastal areas must involve the various
users and administrations concerned.  With respect to land tenure,
historically, small islands have featured hierarchies of landownership rights
from which social status is derived.  Environmental regulations limiting land
use and controlling access to natural resources have been challenged by
landowners who interpret any attempt to limit land rights as a challenge to
their social status.  The involvement and support of traditional leaders in
introducing sustainable development policies and practices is also necessary.


                          2.  At the international level

17.  Concerted effort by United Nations agencies, in close association and in
partnership with other relevant international, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, should be pursued in order to assist the
Governments of small island developing States in the development of their
national coastal area management plans.

18.  Within the context of integrated coastal area management for small island
developing States, the activities planned or under way by international
organizations should be implemented in a coordinated and cost-effective
manner.  These activities should include, but not be limited to, the following
priority areas:

     (a)  Protection and management of marine and coastal areas through
integrated coastal areas management, including a number of demonstration or
pilot projects in integrated island management in which marine and coastal
resource issues are incorporated into the development planning process of
selected small island developing States;

     (b)  Strengthening of information management capabilities through the
further development of SIDSNET and possibly the establishment of regional
Global Resource Information Database nodes for small island developing States,
provision of technical advisory services and environmental assessments;

     (c)  Capacity-building for national institutions, in the collation of
data and information, development and use of database systems and coastal
resource mapping.

19.  To assist national line ministries in their tasks of designing and
implementing ICAM plans, guidelines for specific sub-sectors such as tourism,
fisheries, agriculture and forestry, which constitute the main users of
resources in the coastal areas of small island developing States, should be
further developed.  In this respect, use should be made of the experience
gained by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in developing its
guidelines for the integrated management of coastal and marine areas for the
Mediterranean Basin and by FAO on the integration of agriculture, forestry and
fisheries in integrated coastal area management.  Such guidelines can be of
assistance to planners and users in these subsectors.

20.  The above tasks require coordinated efforts from national and
international organizations, and greater inter-agency cooperation within the
United Nations system is needed to better harness existing capabilities.

21.  Intersectoral cooperation and coordination is needed to address current
human resource development needs for small island developing States.  The
magnitude of such a task, in both its quantitative and qualitative aspects,
calls for further strengthening and formally establishing effective
communications networks between the United Nations and other organizations
working in the area of human resource development.  Cooperation among
developing countries and between developed and developing countries is
essential in order to share experiences, information, materials and personnel.


                                       Notes

     1/   The report of the Secretary-General on the protection of the oceans,
all kinds of seas, including enclosed and semi-enclosed seas, and coastal
areas and the protection, rational use and development of their living
resources (E/CN.17/1996/3) uses the Agenda 21 terminology "coastal area".  The
same terminology is used here for the sake of consistency and to avoid
confusion.  The terminology used in the Barbados Programme of Action is
"coastal zone". 

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Date last posted: 3 December 1999 10:25:35
Comments and suggestions: DESA/DSD