Plenary sessions began today, with sessions covering a diverse range of subject matter, from several ICZM case studies, to research on mangroves and ocean hotspots.
Most of the speakers made a point of providing some context on the regions they study, explaining the challenges inherent to the areas. Interestingly, while the subject matter covered an incredibly broad range of topics, one really came to the forefront…
Collaboration, whether between levels of government, universities and communities, or planners and developers from different regions, emerged as a crucial factor in effective coastal management.
Poh Poh Wong noted that, even in the wake of the 2007 tsunami, there is still no effective regional system in place for tsunami warning, partly due to various problem (lack of integration, conflicting agendas) that basically come down to collaboration.
Guifang (Julia) Xue also highlighted the potentially negative effects of a lack of collaboration, explaining that in China, there is no ICZM at the national level. She described “the 9 dragons,” separate government agencies, all with some coastal zone responsibilities, but no over-arching plan.
We also heard about situations where collaboration led to progress, particularly in terms of ICZM planning. As Marilyn Alcanices shared, community consultation was at the heart of the planning process for a five year ICZM vision for the Oriental Mindoro province in the Phillipines, and, according to Rafiqul Islam, local input continues to guide, and sometimes supersede, governmental action in the city of Manly in Australia.
Have you got any thoughts on encouraging greater collaboration through all stages of the ICZM process? We welcome readers to share their experiences!
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