Enhancing Coastal and Marine Resilience through Area-Based Planning & Management with the increasing environmental challenges and pressure on coastal and marine resources, adopting comprehensive and integrated planning and management strategies is more important than ever.
South Africa, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Southern Ocean to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the east, boasts a rich maritime heritage. It features a vast coastline of 3,650 km and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 1.5 million km². Through extensive mapping and research, South Africa has identified over a hundred marine ecosystem types across its varied ecoregions.
Understanding Area-Based Planning & Management
Area-based planning and management involve strategies that aim to achieve desired outcomes within specific geographic areas. Approaches such as marine protected areas, marine spatial planning, integrated land-use planning, integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), and integrated water resources management (IWRM) provide adaptive frameworks to address the multifaceted challenges impacting coastal and marine environments.
In South Africa, the Marine Spatial Planning process integrates diverse interests and spatial claims, including coastal and underwater infrastructure, emerging uses like carbon capture and storage, marine renewable energy, environmental management and research, fisheries, and marine aquaculture.
Coastal and marine resources are vital to economies, livelihoods, and biodiversity. Ensuring these ecosystems’ health and productivity is critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 and the broader 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Integrated Approach for Resilience
The complexity of challenges faced by coastal communities underscores the need for integrated governance approaches that address evolving demands while ensuring ecosystem and water security. Area-based planning and management focus on upstream and downstream water-related environmental, social, and economic linkages, promoting coordination across sectors and stakeholders.
Your Partner in Sustainable Coastal Development
We offer solutions to support sustainable coastal and marine development initiatives. From feasibility studies to engineering, procurement, installation, operation, and maintenance, we provide comprehensive services to enhance coastal communities’ and ecosystems’ resilience.
With a focus on future-proof analysis and integrated approaches, MEB helps stakeholders manage the complexities of coastal and marine planning and management, ensuring long-term sustainability and well-being for coastal communities.
