The SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC) is a focal institution of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation which promotes regional cooperation in planning, management and sustainable development of the coastal zones, including research, training and promotion of awareness in the region. The SCZMC deals with relevant coastal resources management issues and facilitates interaction amongst institutions (ministries, coastal authorities, intergovernmental organizations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, funding agencies, etc.) and other stakeholders involved, promotes coordination and cooperation on ICZM issues among the Member States. Also the SCZMC provides support for the promotion and development of concepts and standardizes the planning methodologies for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
Five SAARC nations, India, Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka represent the coastal zone as an essential part of the life support system in the region and are very sensitive to adverse effects on the coastal environment. The three SAARC nations Nepal, Afghanistan and Bhutan are land-locked countries.
Coastal areas have a great significance in the region as millions of people in the SAARC countries live in coastal areas and depend on coastal/ marine resources for their livelihood and contribute major part of nations’ economies in the region. The region have most extensive mangrove areas and world’s least disturbed coral reefs however at the same time these coastal ecosystems are subjected to increasing exploitation and other anthropogenic disturbances. Therefore management of coastal and marine resources for their sustainable use has become a critically important issue for the five nations of the SAARC region.
At the same time, climate change is a major challenge the world facing today particularly for developing countries like India and other SAARC nations that face large climate variability and are exposed to enhanced risks from climate change. This significantly impacts the economic growth and social development in the SAARC region, where eradication of poverty is the first and overriding priority. Therefore there is need of environmental management and its integration in development planning of the countries in the region.
With such crucial challenges in the region the importance of the establishment of a SAARC Regional Coastal Zone Management Centre was realized and recommended in the SAARC Study on the Causes and Consequences of Natural Disasters and the Protection and Preservation of the Environment (SAARC, 1992). On 25th June 2005 President of Maldives His Excellency Maumoon Abdul Gayoom inaugurated the SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre with the overall objective of strengthening and promoting regional cooperation on various issues and concerns related to coastal zone, integrating with national policies and decision making including sharing and exchange of experiences, information, data and expertise in coastal zone management, promote co-operative research programmes, technology transfer and capacity building activities.
Mandate and Terms of Reference
- Identify organizations in the region dealing with relevant coastal resources management issues.
- Facilitate interaction amongst institutions (ministries, coastal authorities, intergovernmental organizations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, funding agencies, etc.) and other stakeholders involved.
- Promote coordination and cooperation on ICZM issues
- Collect, compile and disseminate information through networking among the Member States.
- Asses and standardize the planning methodologies for Integrated Coastal Zone management (ICZM)
- Provide support for the promotion and development of ICZM concepts, methodologies and planning tools.
- Promote the exchange of experiences, information, data and expertise in ICZM.
- Assist in institutional strengthening and human resources development for capacity building in ICZM.
- Conduct and coordinate research in the field of coastal zone management and facilitate technology transfer.
Broad Priority Areas
The Centre is currently involved in implementation of various programmes in the SAARC countries , focusing on regional environmental sustainability with emphasis on research, monitoring, compilation of information and data, developing knowledgebase, dissemination of information, enhancing synergies and partnership including harmonization and standardization of approaches, practices and policies with over all approach of Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Regional capacity building is an area where the Centre is giving lot of emphasis through organizing workshops/Seminars/ training programmes etc. to share experience, gain knowledge and develop an understanding about the lesson learnt in conservation and management of coastal ecosystems in the South Asian region. The approach of the Centre is to provide a common platform for sharing experience and knowledge on coastal / marine resources with reference to their conservation and management and also in the event of climate change impact on coastal resources. Broad priority areas for integrated coastal zone management in the SAARC region are to be categorized under:
- Building capacity at local, national and regional level to meet the emerging environmental challenges and develop the adaptive capacity and resilience particularly in the event of climate change impact.
- Reduction of threats through exchange of information and experiences and develop appropriate strategy, planning and actions for their mitigation
- Developing appropriate research and monitoring through collective approach and actions
- Review of the success of initiatives in these action areas,
- Identify organizations/ Institutions in the region dealing with coastal management issue and practices
Developing Synergies and partnership and facilitate interaction ( among institutions , Ministries, coastal authorities, intergovernmental organizations, International organizations, non- governmental organizations, funding agencies and other stakeholders involved).
