Abstract
The case studies described in this book demonstrate the incredible value and obvious importance
of the world’s coastal zones. Coasts inspire, delight and sustain communities around the globe. They enable coastal communities to meet their livelihood needs and derive a range of aesthetic, social, cultural and spiritual benefits. As an indication of their value, Costanza et al. (1997) estimated that coastal and shelf ecosystems (which together comprise 6.3% of the world’s surface area) contribute about 43% of the average annual value of global ecosystem services (about US$14.19 trillion per annum) – which is equivalent to more than half the annual global Gross National Product. Despite the unquestionable value and importance of our coastal zones, management efforts have failed to secure the diversity, health and productivity of the ecosystems upon which coastal communities rely. Coastal ecosystems are being degraded and
overexploited and are subject to increasing pressure due to human population growth and development intensification. Consequently, coastal and marine ecosystems are deteriorating more rapidly than any other type of ecosystem (Brown et al., 2006). The future is therefore
bleak for communities who rely on coastal ecosystems to meet their needs and sustain their livelihoods. Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) – which aims to promote sustainable coastal development – has been developed as an alternative to ineffective ad hoc and sectorbased
coastal management approaches. As these case studies show, developing and implementing ICZM is a vital but difficult undertaking; and coastal sustainability continues to be an elusive pursuit. This chapter synthesises key findings from each of the main themes of this book and
concludes with suggestions about a ‘way forward’ for future ICZM efforts.
