Coastal Zoning

Needs Address

Planning processes and guidance for the protection of coastal region and/or development

Adaptation effects

Negative social, economic and ecological impacts of climate change can be mitigated.

Overview and Features

Coastal zoning is a process of delineating the coastal areas into land and sea use zones, designating permitted, prohibited and conditional uses in order to plan better management of the coastal and surrounding areas to reduce coastal vulnerability stemming from sea-level rise, changing weather patterns, storm surges and coastal erosion, which are challenging traditional systems for use and development of coastal lands. It provides efficient mechanisms for allocating coastal space for appropriate uses based on the suitability with environmental, social and economic conditions, and compatibility with sustainable development objectives and principles, and with policies and legal requirements. 

Cost

Human resources

Energy source

Human resources

Ease of maintenance

Monitoring, evaluation and adjustment according to environmental, economic, political and social changes

Technology performance

Zoning processes have resulted in new legislation or in policy reforms to support the coastal use plan e.g. in China (PEMSEA, 2007); Malaysia and Cambodia (Jeppesen, and Monyneath, 2002)

Considerations

• Requires technical and scientific inputs
• Requires effective stakeholder participation and appropriate institutional arrangements for development and implementation

Co-benefit, suitability for developing countries

• Contributes to sustainable land use practices and sustainable development
• Coastal zoning is a low cost option
• This approach benefits communities by local heightening awareness of sustainable land use options and hazard zones
• The overall benefits and alternative opportunities for communities’ livelihoods must be considered before implementation of costal zoning as it may disrupt livelihood activities through designating some areas of land to certain uses or through restricting livelihood activities on some parts of the land altogether.
• Zoning can reduce the mortality rate of poor and marginalised fishermen 

Information Resources

Jeppesen, G. and Monyneath, V. 2002. ICM Interventions: Case Studies in Malaysia and Cambodia. DHI Group. Available at: http://www.dhigroup.com/~/media/publications/policy/iczm.ashx [07 April 2015]

Kay, n.d. Session II: Improved Coastal Zone Planning and Management: Integrated Coastal Zone Planning in Asian Tsunami-Affected Countries. FAO Corporate Document Repository Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ag124e/AG124E12.htm [30 November 2014]

Norman, 2009. Planning for Coastal Climate Change. Victorian Government Department of Planning and Community Development and Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne. Available at: http://www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/73250/Planningforcoastalclimatechangev1.pdf [30 November 2014]

PEMSEA, 2007. A Regional Mechanism Facilitating Sustainable Environmental Benefits in River Basins, Coasts, Islands and Seas. Partnerships In Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (1994-2010). PEMSEA IEC Material 2. Available at: http://www.pemsea.org/sites/default/files/pemsea-portfolio.pdf