An overview of the coordination of various requirements for coastal-zone use is provided in this book, offering examples and best practice. Although it focuses on European coastal zones, it also considers global and historical developments. Questions at the end of each chapter enable readers to test their understanding.

This title was first published in 2001. Management of coastal zone areas is particularly complicated due to their international nature. Focussing on European coastal zones, this volume examines the various key issues and concerns and highlights the importance of partnership approaches. It details the inter-relationship between the various organizations involved (both governmental and none-governmental), as well as appraising the current national and international legislation and possible future policies. The contributors draw on in-depth case studies from the UK, the Baltic and Hellenic coasts and discuss topics such as international conflicts within the coastal zone, the effectiveness of planning legislation and how to appraise environmental and cultural impacts of changes in coastal zone land use.

Coastal zones play a key role in Earth System functioning and form an “edge for society” providing a significant contribution to the life support systems. Goods and services derived from coastal systems depend strongly on multiple transboundary interactions with the land, atmosphere, open ocean and sea bottom. Increasing demands on coastal resources driven by human habitation, food security, recreation and transportation accelerate the exploitation of the coastal landscape and water bodies. Many coastal areas and human activities are subject to increasing risks from natural and man-induced hazards such as flooding resulting from major changes in hydrology of river systems that has reached a global scale. Changes in the hydrological cycle coupled with changes in land and water management alter fluxes of materials transmitted from river catchments to the coastal zone, which have a major effect on coastal ecosystems. The increasing complexity of underlying processes and forcing functions that drive changes on coastal systems are witnessed at a multiplicity of temporal and spatial scales.

History has shown how powerful societies decline when natural resources are unable to be replenished. This book explores the challenges facing coastal areas during in the near future. It emphasizes beliefs that the convergence of seemingly disparate viewpoints and uncertain and limited information is possible only by using available risk assessment methodologies and decision-making tools such as multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA).

Ultimately, this book provides a means to help address and solve the complexity that exists between coastal systems and anthropogenic activities.

Text drawn up in collaboration with the European Centre for Nature Conservation, Tilburg, the Netherlands, submitted by the Council of Europe at the Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" (Sofia, Bulgaria, 23-25 October 1995), and approved by the ministers of the environment of the 55 states present at the conference

A study carried out in the framework of the Maritime Transport Coordination Platform of the European Commission (Directorate General Energy and Transport).