Governance Approaches

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Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a holistic approach to coastal management.

ICZM

The ICZM deals with holistic coastal management strategies.
The ICZM's work involves careful consideration of the most effective management approach for a stretch of coastline.
It considers the social, economic and environmental implications.
The concept of the ICZM was created by world leaders at the Earth Summit in 1992.

Factors of consideration

Stakeholders consider the following factors when deciding the type of coastal management that should be adopted on a coastline:
- The proposed risk to residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
- The implication of coastal recession on the local economy.
- The impact of coastal recession and flooding on the natural environment.

Leaders' opinions

Leaders believe the use of ICZM brings the following benefits to coastal regions:
- It promotes the careful conservation of the natural environment.
- It encourages the efficient use of resources to reduce unnecessary costs.
- It tries to reduce the potential loss to the various stakeholders that rely on coastal regions for their livelihood.

The UK consists of 11 sediment cells. Each has an SMP (shoreline management plan) that has been devised by key organisations to determine the most appropriate management strategies for a stretch of coastline. There are four key management approaches.

No active intervention

No active intervention – no management used along this coastline with physical processes allowed to work naturally.

Strategic realignment

Physical processes allowed to work naturally, with monitoring and intervention only when necessary.

Advance the line

The construction of new engineering techniques to protect the coastline from further recession.

Hold the existing defences

Hold the existing defences – maintaining the existing defences to make sure they continue to be effective.

CBAs and EIAs

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and environmental impact assessments (EIA) are used to help determine whether or not managing the coastline is worthwhile.

CBA and EIA

A CBA is used to determine the economic value of a coastline to decide if intervention is needed to protect the surrounding land.
An EIA is used to assess the short and long-term implications of using management strategies on the environment.

Happisburgh coastal management

Happisburgh is on the North Norfolk coast.
Failed management and lack of funding to maintain existing structures led to a failed attempt to protect the coastline from coastal recession.
The village has a population of 1,400 people. Since 1998, a group of residents have been working to campaign for renewal of the failing defences.
They are the CCAG (Coastal Concern Action Group).
Powerful destructive waves from the North Sea have caused an average erosion rate of approximately 0.9m per year.

Happisburgh coastal management 2

During the 90’s, the rate of erosion increased because of the failure of wooden defences
The shoreline management plan changed to ‘no active intervention’ implemented.
But after campaigns from CCAG, the shoreline management plan was changed to ‘managed realignment’.

Happisburgh coastal management 3

Following fundraising in 2012, rip-rap was placed on the beach to help dissipate the wave’s energy and protect people’s homes and businesses.
Continued protection of the coastline through maintaining the existing structures or installing new engineering techniques is undecided at the moment.
- The government believes the economic cost to install new defences is not cost-effective compared with the properties at risk.