A Coastal Action Strategy for Southern Africa

by Deon Retief, Ocean & Environmental Engineers, Stellenbosch, South Africa,
Muller Coetzee, Ocean & Environmental Engineers, Stellenbosch, South Africa,
Tony Little, Ocean & Environmental Engineers, Stellenbosch, South Africa,
Benita Ol?n, Ocean & Environmental Engineers, Stellenbosch, South Africa,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '91

Abstract:

The rapidly changing demands and circumstances in southern Africa are offering exciting new challenges in coastal zone management (CZM) and have highlighted the urgent need for effective integration of environmental considerations into coastal planning and management to ensure sustainable utilization into the 21st Century. Given the first world/third world dichotomy existing on this sub-continent, it is inevitable that some trade-offs and choices between economic development, environmental health and quality of life will have to be made. The harmonious interaction of these fundamental components of human well-being will dictate the path for future generations. COAST (Coastal Action Strategy) is a private sector initiated programme, which aims at the development of a dynamic planning and management system, making use of GIS technology to focus on the critical components of environmental sustainability against the projected conflicting and overlapping requirements of a population growing at a critical rate. This programme is not an academic exercise but an attempt to produce pragmatic planning within a dynamic framework as an alternative 'solution' to the problems being experienced with traditional planning approaches. At the same time every attempt is being made to ensure the effective integration of science and socio-economic reality within the limited funding and skilled manpower constraints of a developing country. The methodology being adopted in this four year programme, together with some of the early products are presented.

Subject Headings: Coastal management | Light rail transit | Economic factors | Developing countries | Systems management | Sustainable development | Management methods | Africa | South Africa

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