Comments for iCoast Blog

Comment on I’m back! by John Braid

John Braid — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:24:52 +0000

Rob, great to read you are about and still with a passionate interest in the coast, look forward to future comment.

Comment on I’m back! by Tom Bigford

Tom Bigford — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:56:22 +0000

Hey, Rob!! Great to hear from you and to get a glimpse at your travels. Same old same old for me. Still focused mostly on domestic habitat protection and with a keen eye on retirement (early 2014). Always wishing I had done more internationally but with out time to finish my work donmestically that’ll remain a missed opportunity. One recent “victory,” of which I claim little credit, is that my agency is finally focusing more on habitat. Leaders have found time to address the habitat issues that are essential if we wish to avoid listing/recovery protected species or gain the most from harvested stocks. Very promising stuff. Check out http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/blueprint/index.html for a glimpse at what we call the “NOAA Habitat Blueprint.” It started in the fisheries realm but now embraces CZ and more. Another major effort is deep-sea corals and sponges, which are getting their proper attention mostly because we’re just discovering them. Even the state CZ directors are into deep corals as they see a coastal connection via research institutions, ecotourism, and relations to traditional and even new uses like ocean energy. Let me know if you’d like a guest paragraph or two on the Blueprint or corals/sponges. As always, I look forward to reach about your work. Adaptation is most relevant since that’s a key aspect of all we do, whether we call it that or not.

Comment on Rising Seas: A Property Dilemma by samir

samir — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:51:00 +0000

The author is right. Coastal protection project need investigation taking into account the sea level rising. All the coastal planing have to integrate this parameter in order to avoid flood and damage the publics properties. The goverment should care about the become of the publics owners and vote a law protecting the public landlord.The Coastal engineer in design stage has to change the way that he plan the littoral structure and search for a way to design and limit the damage to population..

Comment on Can we address climate change if we cannot meet development objectives? by Deirdre Shurland

Deirdre Shurland — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:25:42 +0000

Thank you for this point of view! It is a viewpoint that I also subscribe to in relation to the Caribbean, which, like the Asia-Pacific region, no doubt, has received decades of aid; yet the development capacity and agenda of the islands has not kept pace with the frequency of development challenges including the usual ones now compounded by climate change. It is also my view that unless the islands in particular, find a development and implementation model that suits island peculiarities and at the same time can deliver benefits and protection to their most vulnerable of communities, climate adaptation strategies are unlikely to add value or bring improved benefits. This is at the heart a development issue.

Comment on Vertical and horizontal integration – an elusive objective in coastal management. by Etienne Baijot

Etienne Baijot — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:50:33 +0000

Thanks for this interesting comment on the challenge of vertical and horizontal integration, and issue that we have addressed during the SMAP III programme. I would like to contribute with the following comments that we have included in our ICZM guide produced for the mediterranean basin.

3. The benefit and application of vertical and horizontal integration: It has been recognized in several projects (Turkey, Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt) that in developing an ICZM plan and strategy, a project action (e.g. a boat traffic agreement or charters) could bring together for the first time provincial and local departments, as well as civil society, to work together on a shared inter-sector issue, therefore widely materializing horizontal integration. Conversely, vertical integration still remains a much more challenging issue, for example in using ICZM to address tourism planning, where large tourism investment projects are still decided at the central level with very limited if any consultation with the local authorities. The consequence of a lack of vertical integration can be:
a. Inappropriate spatial planning, and
b. a sense by local authorities and NGOs and population that they are dispossessed of their own traditional territory, traditions and economic opportunity, thereby disenfranchising local actors from an ICZM project.
Moreover, the local level within a vertical ladder is usually not well prepared to manage the needs and impact of large infrastructure developments (e.g. solid and liquid waste management) in either social, economic or environmental terms. Still, some local actors such as small scale fishermen are usually nimble enough to quickly understand the job and income opportunities offered by new investments regardless of their impact on environment.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Etienne Baijot
baijo061@yahoo.com

Comment on Vertical and horizontal integration – an elusive objective in coastal management. by at

at — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 01:00:11 +0000

hmmmm, not sure agree with statement that there is still a ‘preference’ for ‘concrete’ adaptation measures. Think that there has been a huge ground swell in the opposite direction, in particular over last 12 months. Ecosystems based adaptation is the ‘buzz’ phrase of the moment and the preferred topic of discussion when it comes to adaptation in general this side of the world at least!! We will have to discuss this one further….

Comment on Risk perceptions and Adapting to Climate Change by John Braid

John Braid — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:01:04 +0000

I am in agreement with the theme of your comments. I have long since tried in vain to impress upon communities (and Local Governments) that the greatest impact of sea level rise will be on communities. The idea that there is a simple linear progression of HWM ignores the physics of low (existing) energy coast lines and of perched water tables on coastal towns. This does not even broach the “who pays” when assets are lost.

Comment on 42 by Carmen Elrick

Carmen Elrick — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:12:21 +0000

Thanks for another thought provoking post! I think you are correct in terms of your ‘fundamental question’ of “what are we trying to adapt to and why”. This reminds me of the presentation delivered by the late Steve Snider at the 2010 NCCARF conference, where he discussed the concept of ‘working backwards’. That is, identifying the impact (and impact thresholds) and then working backwards to determine what this means in terms of tolerable and intolerable change.

Comment on When is a car not a car? by Cheryl

Cheryl — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:41:23 +0000

Very interesting points mentioned. Surely agree with you.
I think the core factor to enable us to respond to something, is to first understand what is it that we are dealing with. Well, although there has been a general increase in awareness mainly on the potential effects of climate change in coastal areas, more knowledge is still required for informed decision-making. This is especially as there are different responses / scenarios faced at different parts of the world, and I am quite sure that no single method will be able to solve the issue.

Comment on When is a car not a car? by Robert Kay

Robert Kay — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:22:12 +0000

Thanks Marcello. Can you post the web address for the project please?