Sustainable management of Mediterranean coastal fresh and transitional water bodies : a socio-economic and environmental analysis of changes and trends to enhance and sustain stakeholder benefits

Abstract

Mediterranean coastal environemnts are subject ot increasing pressures of urbanization, pollution and exploitation of natural resources. The origin of many such pressues is inland: rivers are generally the main vehicles of stress factors such as floods, sediment and waste. From the sea, there is the threat of increasing sea level. As a consequence, coastal environments are increasingly squeezed between land and sea. The WADI project "Sustainable management of Mediterranean coastal fresh and transitional water bodies: a socio-economic and environmental analysis of changes and trends to enhance and sustain stakeholder benefits" had the objective of encouraging a rational and sustainable use of freshwater resources in Mediterranean coastal areas experiencing freshwater scarcity, through participatory approaches. This volume collects a number of origianl papers presented by WADI researchers at the International Conference held at the end of the project in November 2008.