20. On the Edge: Coastal Governance and Risk

Coastal zones are not only some of the most populous areas of the planet, but are also some of the most hazardous, facing a wide range of hazards alongside environmental degradation and increasing development pressures. The inter-connectivity of coastal systems, both human and physical, provides particular challenges to risk management, especially in the context of the complex governance regimes of such areas, where contrasting land and marine institutions and policies come together. After a brief overview of traditional approaches to coastal risk management, the chapter focuses on the role and potential of integrated planning and management in facilitating a more balanced and sustainable approach to coastal risk management. Within such discussions the value and potential of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) alongside other integrated and spatial planning approaches is explored. ICZM has frequently been endorsed as a means of managing competing resources and ‘wicked’ (multi-dimensional) coastal problems, and so potentially has a valuable role to play. Drawing on a range of examples, particularly from European experiences, the chapter evaluates the extent to which ICZM contributes to coastal risk management. Whilst not a panacea, the chapter concludes that ICZM may be able to facilitate the development of more adaptable and palatable approaches for local communities, much needed in the context of coastal climate change impacts.