Developing ICZM

In the last decades, experiences with Integrated Coastal Zone Management have been obtained in many countries around the world, and lessons learned from those planning experiences are gradually becoming available. CZM-C is presently developing a methodology to evaluate ICZM programmes (CZM-C Publication nr. 2001/2); this effort will also be directed at pro-active use of the developing methodology. A general observation is that success stories still seem rather scarce. This is not surprising, as ICZM is a rather new topic in the field of policy making. In view of its scale and complexity, both from a physical, socio-economic and institutional perspective, it is generally recognised that ICZM is a long interactive process, involving a number of cyclic steps from problem identification to the implementation and evaluation of measures. Several cycles would generally be needed in the ICZM process to mature, and to reach the objective of sustained environmental quality and improved quality of life. With typical lengths of such ICZM cycles of the order of 10 -15 years, it is obvious that most countries are still in their early stages of the ICZM process (Winsemius WCC 1993).