2B.12 Integrated Coastal Zone Management Flashcards
2B.12a Littoral Cells and ICZM
ICZM
ICZM is coastal management planning over the long term, involving all stakeholders, working with natural processes and using ‘adaptive management’, i.e. changing plans as threats change.
ICZM works with the concept of littoral cells, or sediment cells. These contain sediment sources, transport paths (flows) and sinks. Each littoral cell is isolated from adjacent cells, and can be managed as a holistic unit.
2B.12a Littoral Cells and ICZM
ICZM key features
The entire coastal zone is managed, not just the narrow zone where breaking waves cause erosion and flooding. This includes all ecosystems, resources and human activity in the zone.
It recognises the importance of the coastal zone to people’s livelihoods as, globally, very large numbers of people live and work at the coast - but their activities tend to degrade the coastal environment.
It recognises that management of the coast must be sustainable, meaning that economic development has to take place to improve the quality of life of people but that this means to be environmentally appropriate at equitable.
2B.12a Littoral Cells and ICZM
managing the UK
The coastline can be divided up into littoral cells and each cell managed as an integrated unit.
In England and Wales there are 11 sediment cells.
Each cell is managed either as a whole unit or a sub-unit.
In both cases a plan called a Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) is used.
The SMP area is further divided into sub-cells.
SMPs extend across council boundaries, so many councils must work together on an agreed SMP to manage an extended stretch of coastline.
2B.12b Policy Decisions
DEFRA policies
no active intervention
strategic (managed) realignment
hold the line
advance the line
2B.12b Policy Decisions
no active intervention
no investment in defending against flooding or erosion, whether or not coastal defences have existed previously
the coast is allowed to erode landward and/or flood
2B.12b Policy Decisions
strategic (managed) realignment
allow the coastline to move naturally (in most cases recede) but managing the process to direct it to certain areas
2B.12b Policy Decisions
hold the line
build or maintain coastal defences so that the position of the shoreline remains the same over time
2B.12b Policy Decisions
advance the line
build new coastal defences on the seaward side of the existing coastline, usually this involved land reclamation
2B.12b Policy Decisions
DEFRA
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) oversees UK coastal management
DEFRA introduced Shoreline Management Plans in 1995 and four policies for coastal management
2B.12b Policy Decisions
decision making MORE DETAIL NEEDED
engineering feasibility:
it may not be possible to ‘hold the line’ for mobile depositional features such as spits or very unstable cliffs
environmental sensibility:
biodiversity
land value:
the value of the assets that could be protected
political and social reasons:
the social value of communities that have existed for centuries
pressure from communities through local campaigning
2B.12b Policy Decisions
epochs
epochs are three time periods used for SMPs to plan for the future
up to 2025
2025-2050
2055+
changes to SMPs may be made because of the unpredictability of climate change causing a different course of action to be made
2B.12b Policy Decisions
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) is used to help decide if defending a coastline from erosion and/or flooding is economically viable
2B.12b Policy Decisions
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) aim to identify:
- short-term impacts of construction on the coastal environment
- the long-term impacts of building new sea defences or changing a policy from hold the line to no active intervention or managed realignment
coastal management usually requires an EIA to be carried out (this is separate to CBA but might inform the final CBA)
EIA is wide-ranging and includes assessments of:
impacts on water movement (hydrology) and sediment flow, which can affect maritime ecosystems because of changes in sediment load
impacts on water quality, which can affect sensitive maritime species
possible changes to flora and fauna, including maritime plants, fish, shellfish and marine mammals
wider environmental impacts such as air quality and noise pollution, mainly during construction
2B.12c Conflicts, Winners and Losers
players: winners
homeowners:
house is safe
local authorities:
environmental pressure groups:
habitats are conserved
2B.12c Conflicts, Winners and Losers
players: losers
homeowners:
people likely to lose property
local authorities:
environmental pressure groups:
coastline ‘concreted over’
