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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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Environment and development in coastal regions and in small islands |
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Coastal region and small island papers 6
Foreword
As we enter the third millennium, one of the most critical problem areas, and indeed defiant challenges, continues to be the impacts on the coastal environment within or near megacities. Many of these sprawling urban areas have mushroomed, with little or no planning which would take into account the negative effects such growth has, directly and indirectly, on the coastal inhabitants and systems in their vicinities.
Concern about such problems has been on the rise for a number of years, and rightly so. One specific site where the Organization has joined hands with local stakeholder groups in this respect is Jakarta (Indonesia), and its bay area. The UNESCO Jakarta Office has developed and carried out a number of programmes and scientific projects, the objectives of which have been to co-operate with Indonesia and other countries of the region in tackling environmental problems. Since 1985, local partners have been supported to carry out specific research and monitoring in Jakarta Bay and the Seribu Islands – particularly related to coral reefs. Beginning in 1996, the activities were enhanced and broadened into a pilot project carried out on the intersectoral platform for Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and in Small Islands (CSI). This project seeks to address some of the human and ecological aspects of sprawling megacity growth through working with local communities on alternative approaches to solid waste management and assisting islanders develop new income-generating livelihoods.
The present document, Coastal Region and Small Island Papers 6, reports on the project’s various phases and results thus far. Appreciation is expressed for those individuals, institutions and agencies that have supported or participated in the various stages of the project, and for those who will continue to carry on the tasks involved. A non-exhaustive list is included under ‘Acknowledgements’ on the following page. For their substantial contributions to the preparation of this report, we mention specifically Yoslan Nur, Stefano Fazi, Nuning Wirjoatmodjo and Thomas Hansen. Considerable credit also goes to Claire Blackburn and Gillian Cambers for their editing.
Dirk G. Troost
Chief, UNESCO-CSI
