Coasts and conflicts : towards harmonisation and integration in the Mediterranean

Abstract

In the present day and age, environmental concerns are no longer merely the domain of academics and policy-makers. Increasingly, societal agendas are changing to include ample discussion of various aspects of the natural world, and of the human species' relation to it. Unfortunately, however, much debate tends to be polarised with, at one extreme, those who expound a bleak scenario and at the other, those who argue that environmental problems are simply in the mind. However, there is also an alternative approach. Upon being asked whether he believed the survival of the human species on planet Earth is threatened, a contemporary statesman from the Mediterranean replied as follows: "I think if there is a Lord in heaven, His main task is balancing opposing forces -danger and hope, life and death - because otherwise the human race would have disappeared a long time ago ... ln the annals of humankind, if there is a danger of destruction, there are also forces of maintenance. A fire brigade." [Shimon Peres] This book is intended for various members of the fire brigade - for conservationists, environmental managers, strategic planners and other key actors from different professional and academic disciplines, hailing from different spheres of the socio­political spectrum and from both shores of the Mediterranean. It is a book for all those somehow involved in managing coastal resources in the Mediterranean region and in striving for a sustainable future. In talking of both conflict and harmonisation, we have also tried to balance opposing forces and to overcome divisive dichotomies. Our environmental problems are huge and urgent, and the immensity of the task ahead cannot be downplayed. However, gloom and doom will get us nowhere. The activist is not he who ponders and reflects on the problems we face, but he who tries, to the best of his abilities, to make a difference. There is a wide range of people, from different walks of life, who bring much expertise and enthusiasm to the management of the Mediterranean coastal zone. Our target audience is anyone from this large and diverse team. We have not made any revolutionary proclamations in this book. It is not a treatise about the Mediterranean, nor is it a detailed technical manual about coastal management techniques. There are far more accomplished examples of both. What we have tried to do is make a contribution towards the holistic management of Mediterranean coastal areas. The coast is not merely a biological asset, but is also of crucial social, cultural and economic importance. Furthermore, its management draws on a wide and varying array of techniques and approaches. We have therefore tried to give coastal managers a broad and concise perspective on where we are now, where we are coming from, what our future might look like, and how we might get there. This book is structured in two parts. Part I provides a conceptual background to issues of coastal management, both on a global scale and within the Mediterranean region. It looks at specific techniques and approaches that may, in different ways, play a role in coastal management. The multi-faceted nature of the coast often requires that managers deal with information that may not lie within their particular field of expertise. A basic acquaintance with a variety of approaches can, however, be invaluable in facilitating dialogue. No one technique holds magical answers to our problems. Solutions will only be found through coordination and integration. We hope that this publication will be of utility to those who strive to protect the unique coastal heritage of the Mediterranean Sea. We wish you luck in this noble and necessary endeavour.