GeoJournal 37.4 5 6 9 - 5 7 0
569
© 1995 (Dec) by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Ocean and Coastal Management The Regional Scale of Ocean Management A Tentative Project of Interdisciplinary Co-Operation convened by Professor Adalberto Vallega International Centre for Coastal and Ocean Policy Studies, ICCOPS in co-operation with the International Geographical Union, Commission on Marine Geography
sustainable development-referred approach to the regional seas, as well as other ocean areas at supra- and sub-national scales. Moving from this, the following specific objectives are worth being pursued.
Objectives
Questions How should intended.
1. The Reasons for a Call for Co-Production In April 19-22, 1995, an International Workshop on Regional Seas towards Sustainable Development. Challenges for Science and Policy was convened by the International Centre for Coastal and Ocean Policy Studies (ICCOPS) (i) to focus on the main issues concerned with the adoption of the sustainable development principle (Agenda 21, Chapter 17) for the management of the regional seas, and (ii) to assume the Mediterranean Sea as a main significant case study. The Workshop was followed by the 1995 ICCOPS Associates Meeting which considered the prospects of scientific co-operation arising from the changing political framework of ocean management on the regional scale. This exploration led the participants to be persuaded that two resources should be regarded as fundamental: i . the existing network of scientists and experts which has been established thanks to the increasing co-operation developed since the early Nineties between academic and extraacademic institutions and organisations involved in research and education; ii. the establishment of the special issue series The regional scale of ocean management of the Ocean and Coastal Management journal. The participants agreed on the opportunity of widening and strengthening the network also with the aim of focusing the special issue series on the core subjects and issues of management of the regional seas, and sensu lato, of the ocean management on the regional scale. The present document, the design of which was conceived in the mentioned meeting, has the scope of presenting a tentative project of, and a call for, co-operation to the academic community, as well as experts and managers from intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations. Those distinguished persons to whom this document is addressed are kindly invited to: i . give their comments and to propose amendments, as well as complementing and integrating parts at your earliest convenience. ii. communicate their interest in co-operating according to the criteria and format which are presented in Section 5. The final draft of this document will be formulated as a result of close consideration of the sub i) comments and contributions.
The Objective The basic objective of co-operation is to assume the special issue series The regional scale of ocean management, established within the Ocean and Coastal Management journal, as a proper ground to focus on the subjects and concerns regarding the
o
the regional scale be
Which are the criteria through which the ocean could be disaggregated into regional areas where the pursuit of sustainable development can be optimised. Which multidisciplinary approach could be adopted to intensify and diffuse the knowledge of the regional seas and their relevant issues. Which are the best technical tools through which to diffuse the assessment of the regional seas. Which criteria should be adopted to identify and design large and local ecosystems.
too
eeN ¢_1 - ~
How can the marine and coastal ecosystem be assessed in order to pursue its sustainable development. How the mineral and energy resources of the abiotic components, as well as living resources, are to be managed according to the sustainable development principle. Which are the rational patterns protect the endangered species.
r4
to
What is the role of the marine and coastal use structure in sustainable development-oriented management patterns. How should the integrated coastal resource use be intended and assessed. (D
How could integration between ocean and coastal management in special and fragile environments of the regional seas be pursued. 0,)
~E
8g c~
Which indicators are significant to measure the consistency of coastal and marine uses with the sustainable development principle, namely, with the need to guarantee the integrity of the ecosystem, efficiency of economy and social equity. How can the conflicts between uses be assessed and how should they be prevented and mitigated.
GeoJournal 37.411995
570
Objectives
4. The Organisational Framework
Questions What are the special features of the decision-making systems operating in the regional seas included in the U N E P Regional Seas Programme.
O
How are these systems differentiated from those pertaining to the regional seas not involved in the U N E P programme.
iLl
©
0)
Which are the existing and possible co-operation patterns between intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental decision-making centres. Which are the main concerns to be dealt with to make the decision-making systems consistent with the sustainable development principle.
-4
"~~ ~ ~
How have the legal and institutional frameworks been evolved in the regional seas. Which are the lessons to be drawn from the U N E P Regional Seas experience.
~.~
©
clJ
What are the criteria through which the existing legal and institutional framework should be re-oriented in order to pursue sustainable development on the regional scale. How are the orientations of education and training systems concerned with the coastal and marine management in the regional seas. Which criteria are to be adopted to handle interdisciplinary-inspired and sustainable development-aimed at under-graduate, graduate and postgraduate courses, as well as training programmes.
03
How can self-education and selftraining programmes be designed. How could education.
research
interact
with
How could co-operation be stimulated by inter- and non-governmental organisations.
To pursue the objectives designed in Section 3 the establishment of an international network of scientists, as well as experts and persons from inter-governmental and governmental decisionmaking systems, will be encouraged. The persons participating in the network could convey their papers, information notes and announcements to the special issue series. This organisational framework is suggested. I. Editorial Board members. Adalberto Vallega, as a member of the Editorial Board of Ocean and Coastal Management will co-ordinate the network. He will be assisted by Professor Maria Giuseppina Lucia, ICCOPS. This work will be developed in close co-operation with the Editors-in-Chief of the journal. II. Regional eonvenors. A convertor will be appointed for each regional sea included in the Regional Seas Programme, as well as for other extra-Programme seas. His/her role will consist of: i. promoting the recruiting of scientists, experts and managers involved in the regional sea of his/her interest;: ii. promoting the design and publication of special issues in the series The regional scale of ocean management; iii. serving as a guest editor, or co-editor, of special issues; iv. providing information notes on the UNEP Regional Seas Programme and other programmes regarding the regional seas; v. establishing co-operation links with inter-governmental organisations in order to catalyse their interest in the special issue series and their involvement in convening and editing issues; vi. catalysing the interest of the scientific events in the special issue series with the aim of publishing their materials relating to the regional seas. III. Co-operation from inter-governmental organisations. Persons from U N E R FAO, IMO, UNESCO and other intergovernmental organisations and international programmes will be invited by Ocean and Coastal Management to participate in the networks. Their possible co-operation could consist of: i. providing materials to be included in the special issue series; ii. providing information notes on the UN system policy and actions; iii. indicating subject areas to be presented and discussed in the series. IV. Co-operation from non-governmental organisations. Nongovernmental organisations will be invited to show if they are interested in the initiative and, if so, to co-operate in the special issue series. V. Data bank. A data bank will be established in the framework of the special issue series. It will consist of a mailing list of persons and bodies participating in the network and will be accessible to all the interested persons.
5. How to Proeede How could special information systems be set up, and communication techniques be used in order to optimise the interaction between research, decision-making processes and education. What is the expected role of the data bank, GIS and other computer-based systems, and information networks. r<
The distinguished persons to whom this call for co-operation is addressed are kindly invited to: i. communicate their interest in the initiative to Adalberto Vallega at earliest convenience. ii. express their comments on this document, as well as to make proposals to amend and implement it. i. On the basis of the comments and proposals which will have been made, the final draft of the document will be made; ii. the final draft will circulate to those persons who will have cooperated and will be included in the Ocean and Coastal Management and in ICCOPS Newsletter, iii. as a consequence, the network will become operational.
