Sharing of best practices on ICZM, in a context of Adaptation to climate Change in coastal areas

Climate change is affecting European marine areas and coastal zones and resulting in, among others, sea-level rise, increased frequency and severity of storms, ocean acidification, coastal erosion, changes in sea surface temperature as well as changes in biodiversity and ecosystems. Maritime Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Zone Management are process-based tools for the appropriate planning and management of human activities in marine and coastal regions. Both tools will contribute to the sustainable growth of maritime and coastal economies and the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources. Having the potential impacts and the related costs in mind, adaptation has to become a central element in ICZM and MSP.

It has become clear over the past few years that there was a lack of a more coherent, strategic, and perhaps binding approach to integrated coastal management that could ensure detailed plans in all coastal areas of the EU. This contract provided up-to-date and well-targeted information aiming to increase, share and disseminate Member States’ knowledge about Integrated Coastal Zone Management and the linkages with Maritime Spatial Planning in a context of climate change adaptation in coastal areas. The project comprised 5 tasks:

1. Task A identified possible measures, support actions, and policy actions that would integrate coastal zone management and climate change adaptation in coastal zones and link to marine
2. Task B prepared the ground for developing guidance to the Member States on ICZM implementation.
3. Task C updated cases in the OURCOAST database.
4. Task D proposed options for coordination and integration of the OURCOAST database with other relevant information-sharing platforms.
5. Task E supported the European Commission in its stakeholder information and consultation processes through a multi-annual newsletter and by attending workshops and conferences.

Fresh Thoughts was the Technical Coordinator for the project as a whole. Additionally, the Fresh Thoughts Team led Task B in developing a guidance document focusing on how to turn the eight ICZM principles, the 10 MSP principles, and climate change adaptation into concrete action.