Coastal Management Planning Experience of Pacific Island Countries in the last thirty

years 80s, 90s, 00s

I Broad Types of Coastal Management Planning Approaches in the last 30 years (‘80s – ’00)

II Case Study of Integrated Coastal Management Planning Approach in Samoa

III Experiences Lessons Learned –Mainstreaming Coastal Management into the National Development Planning Process

1. Economic/development Approach: Alteration of the coastline & built infrastructures to increasing social and economic development opportunities (reclamation and infrastructures to enhance economic and livelihood opportunities – hotels, marinas, wharves, causeways, etc.)

2. Conservation/Eco-system Approach: Protection of coastal ecosystems and associated ecological services (fisheries reserves, marine reserves, marine protected areas) that supports livelihood and natural systems needs

3. Protection/Engineering Approach: Protecting high value lifeline social and economic infrastructural assets at urban centres and densely populated rural areas (system of engineered reinforcements – both physical (seawalls/reclamation) and or vegetative (green buffer zones/bio-shields) – along the coastline of urban centres and densely populated rural areas

4. Integrated Approach: System of long-term planning of responses to mitigate and adapt to consequences of coastal zone changes due to global environment (climate change) and anthropogenic (socio-economic) changes

Dominant coastal planning approaches as countries became independent and needed development to meet needs of growing populations about 70% living on coastal areas

Significant alteration of coastlines through reclamation and construction of infrastructures to support socio-economic development needs with high impacts on ecological resources and services and highly vulnerable to climate change risks and often weak consideration of environmental requirements

Will continue to be the major coastal management planning approach with growing populations and expanding economic development requiring strong mainstreaming of environmental and social considerations

Emerged out of global response to environmental change (climate change & degradation of coastal and marine environments)

While minor alteration of coastline /ecosystems it tends to concentrate on areas of high biodiversity value away from densely populated areas and difficult to support without clear and often immediate benefits to communities

Examples of local and regional initiatives supporting the conservation approach: Locally – the Village Fisheries Reserves (VFRs), Community Conservation Areas (CCAs), Locally Manage Marine areas (LMMAs), Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and regionally – the South Pacific Biodiversity Conservation Project (SPBCP) and Integrated Coastal Zone Management Process (ICZM)

Engineering approaches to protect high value social and economic lifeline infrastructural assets (man-made) in urban areas & densely populated rural areas

Continuing response to expanding urbanization in coastal areas with high impacts on ecological systems and services and highly vulnerability to climate change impacts

Key examples: systems of coastline seawalls combined with vegetation buffer zones (bio-shields).

Long term planning for managing the coastline that integrates the conservation, economic and social needs of coastal areas

A multidisciplinary approach that requires high level of collaboration and coordination among different stakeholders, communities and interest groups

While highly desirable its difficult to implement as it requires fundamental changes to social and cultural norms of social and economic development practices

Examples of recent projects/programs: UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves, SPREP Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change, etc.

Samoa’s Integrated Coastal Infrastructure Assets Management

Planning System (CIMP)

2000 -> 2011

Samoa Planning & Urban Management Act 2004 Part 3 Section 8(b) “To enable land use and development planning and policy to be integrated with environmental, social, economic, conservation and resource management policies at national, district, village and site specific levels;”

Samoa’s CIMP History:

◦ 2000 Coastal Zone Hazards Mapping Exercise:

Basis: Analysis of geological and anecdotal data of coastline changes 1954-1999 /development of coastal erosion, flooding, land slide and land slip hazard zones maps

◦ 2001:

Formulation of the Samoa’s Integrated Coastal Infrastructure Assets Management Strategy

Samoa’s Infrastructure Assets Management Program (SIAM) for all Villages (200+) & Districts (40+) in 2001 – 2007 (funded by WB)

◦ Review 2012 > incorporate recent experiences (2009 tsunami) and upscale implementation

The CIM Planning Process:

1 – Government/District Consultations on concepts and program

2 – Government/District Villages consultations & draft planning

3 – Villages & Districts consultations on draft plans

4 – Government Ministries/NGOs and other national /regional institutions reviews of draft plans

5 – Government/Villages final plans consultations

6 – Government /District & Villages plans signed off

7 – Implementation and M&E by national government & local authorities

1. Translations of the strategy and technical terms into the Samoan language greatly facilitated consultation and communication the Samoan language and culture

2. Appreciation and use of traditional local consultation values and practices enabled grassroots direct participation in national planning and decision-making processes for the environment/development

3. Strengthen relationships & interactions between national (ministries) and local authorities at the technical and policy levels

1. Project/Program have increased local communities’ expectations of development services from governments and donors

2. The CIM Plan process has while complementing conservation planning experiences of the ‘90s it introduced a new highly comprehensive level of environment and development planning to local villages traditional and cultural practices

3. Local leadership & engagement was largely dominated by males requiring strengthening of the villages & districts communities consultations stage.

1. Implementation is difficult and requires further development and strengthening of the national /local/donor institutional capacities for effective coordination and collaboration

2. Local communities still highly dependent on national experts and agencies on understanding and coordination of implementation of plans requiring extensive local capacity building at the technical, policy and coordination levels.

Increase support for and participation in integrated coastal management planning by local and national authorities that appreciate and strengthen the integration of global, national and local planning contexts and scales in all Pacific countries

Integrated planning approach to appreciate, be more practical (hands-on) with and broaden the capacities of local traditional resources owners and use practices

Systematize building of necessary individual, institutional and community capacities required for coordination and coherent planning and implementation