Data integration and participatory process in developing integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in the northern Baltic Sea

Abstract

The Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Directive was ratified (2014/89/EU) along the Strategy of the European Union (EU) on the Blue Economy to contribute to the effective management of maritime activities and resources and incorporate the principal elements of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) (2002/413/EC) into planning at the land-sea interface. There is a need to develop the ICZM approach throughout Europe to realise the potential for both socio-economic and environmental targets set by the EU and national legislations. In this study, we co-developed different approaches for land-sea interactions in four case areas in Estonia and Finland based on the defined characteristics and key interests derived from local or regional challenges by integrating spatial data on human activities and ecology. Furthermore, four ICZM drafts were co-evaluated by stakeholders and the public using online map-based assessment tools (public participatory GIS). The ICZM approaches of the Estonian cases ranged from the diversification of land use to the enhancement of community-based entrepreneurship. The Finnish cases aimed to define the trends for sustainable marine and coastal tourism and introduce the ecosystem service concept in land use planning. During the project activities, we found that increased communication and exchange of local and regional views and values on the prevailing land-sea interactions were important for the entire process. Thereafter, the ICZM plans were applied to the MSP processes nationally, and they support the sustainable development of coastal areas in Estonia and Finland.

Coupling Relationship of Human Activity and Geographical Environment in Stage-Specific Development of Urban Coastal Zone: A Case Study of Quanzhou Bay, China (1954–2020)

“…Simultaneous with the development of urban coastal zones, parameters, such as environmental impact assessment and ecological index of urban coastal zones, must be introduced, to comprehensively evaluate the construction of urban coastal zones. At present, this indicator is also widely used in urban coastal zone assessments worldwide, which has improved the environment of urban coastal zones and reduced the risks posed by human activities to the ecology of these zones (Reija et al, 2021). However, in the future, we should also consider the different socio-economic development levels and geographical locations of each region and select appropriate indicators, to evaluate the development of urban coastal zones in light of the specific situations in the urban coastal zones.…”

A Framework for Assessing Environmental Incidents in Coastal Areas: A Case Study in the Southeastern Coastal Area of Vietnam

“…Industrial, maritime [3], and tourism activities [4] have always been potential advantages in the development of coastal areas. The attractiveness of these regions is the reason for their rapid population growth in recent decades [5][6]. However, coastal areas have a higher potential for environmental incidents than other areas from the mainland due to their low terrain and fast development rates [7].…”

Evaluation and obstacle factors of marine resources and environment carrying capacity in Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration

“…Using the subjective and objective synthesis method to determine the weight of each indicator, the coupled coordination model can measure the degree of coordination between economic development and the carrying capacity of marine resources and the environment (Wang and Yang, 2021); using the spatiotemporal weight matrix and coupled coordination model can examine the coordination between the marine economy and the carrying capacity of the ocean (Yu and Di, 2020). Integrating spatial data on human activities and ecology and exploring different methods of land-sea interaction are conducive to achieving sustainable development of coastal areas (Hietala et al, 2021); improving the carrying capacity of marine resources and environment should focus on sustainable development of economic, socio-cultural, environmental protection and renewable energy (Liao, 2018), while in concrete practice, coastal area management policies, spatial planning and overall strategic planning generally lack coordination, which affects the improvement of the carrying capacity of the marine environment, and there is a need to develop approaches to marine ecosystem and environmental management and protection (Cantasano et al, 2017); combining scientific, technological, management, legal and policy capabilities across elements can enable dynamic ocean management (Hobday et al, 2014); competing ocean uses and the continued increase in ocean development require ocean management to integrate the environmental, economic and social impacts of all activities to achieve sustainable development of marine resources (Elliott et al, 2017).…”