Information & Meetings
	Conferences & events
	New Coastal Publications
	Feedback
	Vacancy

Organisations
	New Website Links
	International Institute for Water Education founded

Environment
	Ministerial Declaration of The Hague appreciates coastal ecosystems
	New technical solution for oil pollution

Development & Trends
	S.O.S. for Isola di S.Andrea-Litorale di Gallipoli
	Discussion forum opened on no-fishing areas in North Sea

Policy
	EC structural measures to comply with Natura 2000
	EC proposes measures to prevent oil spill disasters

Funds
	RTD programme for CEE and NIS
	RTD budgetline for climate change and renewable energies
	RTD funding for developing Mediterranean countries and partners

Events recently announded
 

May 3 - 4	Third Annual Conference of the Northeast Shore & Beach Preservation Association "Urban and Heavily Used Beaches", Spring Lake, New Jersey, USA. Info: e-mail: weggel@drexel.edu, Conference website
Aug 17 - 21	Seminar "Challenge for Visitor Centres: Linking Local People, Visitors and Protected Areas", Inari, Finland. Info: fax: +358 205 64 7750, e-mail: maarit.kyostila@metsa.fi
Sept 25 - 30	International Seminar on Integrated Coastal Area Management And Its Integration with Marine Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Info: fax: +7-812-444-6090, e-mail: ggg@sici.ru, Conference website
Dec 4 - 8	5th Congress on Marine Sciences Marcuba '2000 "For a more integrated management of marine and coastal resources", Havana, Cuba. Info: fax: (537)24-1442, e-mail: marcuba@unepnet.inf.cu

Please note:
The year 2000 overview of the Coastal Guide conference and event  meeting list can be found at http://www.coastalguide.org/meetings/
 
 

New Coastal Publications
 
 

Wadden Sea Quality Status Report 1999 By De Jong, et al. (1999, 259 pp.). Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Group, Quality Status Report Group. Wilhelmshaven, Germany. A PDF version can be downloaded from http://cwss.www.de/TMAP/Qsr99/Qsr99.html The "Wadden Sea Quality Status Report 1999" (QSR 1999) entails a comprehensive, integrated assessment of  the Wadden Sea ecosystem and the impact of human activities. It contains an overview of the main national and international regulations in the Wadden Sea Area and a comprehensive inventory of all human activities. Data on inputs and concentrations of nutrients, heavy metals, selected organochlorines and oil are evaluated, generally for the period 1985 - 1996. The chapters on biology address species and communities, as well as the typical Wadden Sea habitats. The overall assessment part has been structured according to the common Targets for the Wadden Sea Area. The conclusions and recommendations are intended as a starting point for discussion with experts, policy makers and managers in the run-up to the 9th Trilateral Governmental Conference in Esbjerk in November 2001.

Policy instruments for ICZM in nine selected EU countries By Linda Bridge (2000, 90 pp) Bureau D&K/EUCC Services, e-mail: admin@coastalguide.org. Price: Euro 30.00 (members Euro 21.00), VAT included. This study was commissioned by the Dutch National Institute for Coastal & Marine Management (RIKZ) in order to inspire national policy development. The objectives of this study are to present an overview of national policy and legislation relevant to ICZM, to examine the effectiveness of these national frameworks at the local implementation level (using selected case studies as examples) and to indicate the extent to which the existence of nationally defined set-back lines help or hinder the effective implementation of ICZM. A summary in Dutch is available (10 pp) Price: EUR 5.00 (EUCC members EUR 3.50)

Beaches and Dunes of Developed Coasts By Karl F. Nordstrom (2000, 338 pp.) Cambridge University Press, The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK. Fax +44 1223 315052. ISBN 0 52147013 7 (hardback). Price UK £ 45.00 (US $ 74.95). This volume discusses the role of humans in transforming the coastal landscape. The book details the many ways beaches and dunes are eliminated, altered and replaced and the differences between natural landforms and the human artefacts that replace them. A distinguishing feature of the book is the emphasis on the importance of retaining naturally functioning beaches and dunes in ways that achieve natural values while accommodating development and use. The issues dealt with in this monograph are important in coastal management. It will therefore be of interest to practising coastal engineers and scientists working on applied research topics, as well as to planners and managers of coastal resources at all levels of government.

The international quarterly magazine Coastline of the EUCC is looking for contributions! Coastline articles are dedicated to examples of successful projects on coastal conservation and good practice examples of integrated coastal zone management in Europe. Projects can be related to fisheries, tourism, planning, construction works, nature development, etc. Coastline is a full-colour, illustrated magazine. Deadline for the next Coastline (2000-2) is 1 May, for 2000-3 it is 1 August and for 2000-4 it is 1 November. Grab this opportunity and share your experience with the major policy makers, NGOs and scientists in Europe in the field of coastal conservation. Contact Erik-jan Malta (managing editor, erikjan@coastalguide.org) or write, phone or fax to the EUCC International Secretariat (address below) for more information.

A coastal resource planner at a planning agency in Christchurz, NZ, presently involved in preparing a Regional Plan for 800 km of coastaline, is interested in a job exchange with a colleague from Europe or Canada. Contact david.j.gregory@xtra.co.nz or davidg@crc.govt.nz

New Website Links

ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management:  strategies and technologies for the managment of coastal waters  that will help to implement UNCLOS III 

Center for Marine Conservation: committed to conserving the abundance and diversity of the world's marine life and protecting the health of the oceans and seas 

State of the Coast (NOAA): inaugural version of a continuing report on the state of our Nation's coastal areas. It consists of 14 essays on coastal topics (USA) 

INFOREGIO: specific information on the activities of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund and the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA) 

Global Water Partnership (GWP): facilitates the exchange of knowledge, experience and the practice of integrated water resources management 

ONEOCEAN.ORG: Coastal Resource Management Project (CRMP) ecotourism project (Philippines) 

American Oceans Campaign: protection and preservation of the vitality of coastal waters, estuaries, bays, wetlands, and deep oceans 

SIWI Stockholm  International Water  Institute: scientific, technical and educational organization that contributes to international efforts to combat the escalating global water crisis

Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security: research and policy analysis in the areas of environment, sustainable development, and international security 

Coastline2000: hundreds of schools and colleges will be taking part in a major survey of the state of the coastline, organised by The Geographical Association 

Center for Geo Information (Wageningen University and the Winand Staring Centre): provision of university-level education and research on geoinformation science, with a view to supporting policy development and the design and management of rural areas 

Laboratori d'Enginyeria Marítima (LIM/UPC): Research Centre in the field of  Maritime Engineering and Ocean Sciences

ACZISC Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee: inter-departmental and inter-jurisdictional committee. It was established to provide a focus and forum for the development and coordination of a regional coastal zone information infrastructure and the promotion of integrated coastal zone management initiatives (coastal zone of Atlantic Canada)
 

Check out the other Website Links on the Coastal Guide
 

On 20 March, the Dutch Government, UNESCO and the International Institute for Infrastructural, Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering (IHE Delft) agreed on the establishment of the IHE-UNESCO Institute for Water Education. The Institute will create and reinforce networks of water sector professional and educational institutions to exchange information on all aspects of integrated water resources management. It will assist UN organisations and global initiatives in the coordination and execution of water related programmes.
For more information contact Mr Atem Ramsundersingh, asr@ihe.nl
IHE website
 

Ministerial Declaration of The Hague appreciates coastal ecosystems

The Second World Water Forum in The Hague from 17 to 22 March culminated in a Ministerial Declaration on Water Security in the 21st Century which differs in some points from the Draft Declaration (see Coastal Guide News No 5) such as the first paragraph recognizing that the common goal of providing water security in the 21st Century means "ensuring that freshwater, coastal and related ecosystems are protected and improved". Coastal conservation received its due place in the declaration thanks to the successful lobbying efforts of the Portuguese delegation, as Coastal Guide News was informed. The necessity to include coastal zones into integrated water basin management schemes was also stressed during the IUCN chaired session on "Water and Nature".
The sessions of the World Water Forum, which ran in parallel to the Ministerial Conference and the World Water Fair, were open to all stakeholders of fresh water resources, visited by representatives from all over the world and conducted in an interactive manner due to electronic voting devices which were distributed among the audience. However, NGO and Trade Union representatives who were present in The Hague disagreed with the emphasis on privatization as a key to better water supply especially in poor countries. They also voiced some criticism about the results of the events in a group statement to the Ministerial Conference in which they deplore the slow pace of reforms in the water sector and  reject the reports of the World Water Commission and the Vision Document produced by the World Water Council. They also requested clear timetables and targets from their ministers. Governments will have a chance to address those demands in the framework of the next Earth Summit in Bonn in 2002. The key documents and results of the sessions of the events in The Hague can be found at
http://www.watervision.org/
http://www.gwpforum.org/Library.htm
http://www.worldwaterforum.com/journalist/frameset.html
 

Two researchers at the University of Bradford's School (UK) developed a hydrogel, that can be used to soak up oil pollution. It is made up almost entirely of water, yet can thicken to produce a substance that is 100 to 1000 times stronger than any other gel of its kind. This is because it is composed of two very long elastic-type molecules which form strong bonds with each other to form a 3D network, similar to a cage, that holds in the water. The consistency of the gel can be altered, to make it thick, thin, or sticky, by adjusting the number of bonds and increasing the amount of large molecules. A liquid form of the gel can be sprayed on to oil spillages and then, as it thickens, be rolled up like a carpet. The absorbed oil can later be removed from the gel. When oil is no longer flowing of its own accord, pumped hydrogel can be used to force oil from rock. It can also gel together the sediment that gathers round oil drill heads, so that the debris does not damage the machine as it stops and starts. Full press release: http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/pr/pressreleases/2000/Wondergel.html
 
 

S.O.S. for Isola di S.Andrea-Litorale di Gallipoli

The coast south of Gallipoli (Apulia), a rare example in Southern Italy of a well preserved coastal area containing white dunes, coastal wetlands and ponds, dry grasslands and Mediterranean scrub with rare plant species is under threat of being erased by a large-scale tourist development projectthat is financed by the Italian government with European funds. Major environmental and scientific organisations have constituted an official committee trying - with international support - to prevent or reduce this project, while public administration is pushing it forward, according to the Italian NGO Legambiente. http://digilander.iol.it/legambientelecce/ 
 

Dutch scientists and the North Sea Foundation feel that parts of the North Sea should be closed for fishing (also see Coastline 2000-1). Read different opinions about no-fishing reserves on the website and join in the discussion: http://www.coastalguide.org/nofish/, contact Dr. E. Malta, Coastline Publisher and Managing Editor, erikjan@coastalguide.org, Bureau D&K/EUCC Services, P.O Box 11232, NL-2301 EE Leiden, tel: +31-71-5122900, fax: -5124069

EC structural measures to comply with Natura 2000

The European Commission has been heavily critized in the past for supporting measures with the Structural and Cohesion funds that contridict EU enviromental policies. This might change due to rules, which were drawn up by Michel Barnier, Commissioner responsible for regional policy, inagreement with Margot Wallström, Commissioner responsible for the environment. 
EU Member States will have to provide a formal guarantee that they will not allow any Natura 2000 sites to deteriorate during the period covered by schemes co-financed by the Structural Funds. They will also undertake to provide the Commission, in the programming documents or at the latest when submitting additions to each operational programme, with information on measures to prevent any deterioration of the sites to be protected under Natura 2000. Appropriate measures will be taken in the event of any irregularity in the implementation of the rules, i.e. any failure to meet the undertakings relating to the submission of lists of sites to be protected. The Commission may also introduce special surveillance arrangements to monitor any measures taken or planned by the Member States concerned that may affect the sites to be protected under Natura 2000. 
Full EU press release
 
 
 

EC proposes measures to prevent oil spill disasters

In reaction to the oil tanker ERIKA accident off the shore of Brittany (see Coastal Guide News No. 1, 4, 5), the European Commission made a step towards the enhancement of maritime safety in the Community waters through the adoption of a communication on the safety of the seaborne oil-trade on 21 March 2000. The application of the current international legal framework including IMO rule falls short of providing an adequate response to maritime safety. The Commission has therefore proposed a series of immediate and longer-term actions: 1)to ban ships over 15 years of age from all Community ports if they have been detained by Port State Control authorities more than twice in the previous two years. The Commission will publish a 'black list' every six months. 2)Classification societies responsible to check the structural soundness of ships should be controlled more thoroughly and their authority suspended or revoked if they are negligent. 3)The Commission proposes to ban oil tankers with a single hull from EU waters. The same calendar will apply as has been adopted in the USA (2005, 2010, 2015, according to tonnage). These three proposals form a coherent package, not only for oil tankers but also other ships carrying dangerous or polluting cargo. Information gathered during controls at each port or during classification society checks will be disseminated largely through the EQUASIS database, jointly created by the European Commission and France, which will give a detailed description of the ships at any moment and should contribute to establishing the responsibility of each party in the event of an accident. 
In a second stage, later in the year, the Commission envisages complementary proposals on the following: 1) systematic exchange of information between all the actors in the maritime community by further developing the EQUASIS system in particular, 2)improved surveillance of maritime navigation, 3) creation of a European structure for Maritime Safety, 4) measures relating to the responsibility of the different actors in the maritime transport of seaborne oil trade. Although liability has, up to now, been laid down in international conventions, the Commission intends to work towards a supplementary collective indemnity regime, also including the principle of liability of the carrier and the cargo owner.  In order to avoid any further disasters like the ERIKA, the Commission, without waiting for the proposed legislation to be adopted, calls on the petrol companies to enter into a voluntary agreement not to charter tankers more than 15 years of age, unless they are shown to be in satisfactory condition, and to take other measures to improve safety. 
Full EU press release

Communication from the Commission to the European Parlement and the Council
on the safety of the seaborne oiltrade (PDF document 121 pp.) 
 

RTD programme for CEE and NIS

The "Call for Proposals for indirect RTD actions under the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration on confirming the international role of Community research"  opened for states in the phase of pre-accession to the European Union until 16 June 2000 (ICFP500A1AM04) and NIS and CEE not in the pre-accession phase until 15 September 2000 (ICFP500A2AM03). Information dissemination, awareness and training actions by organisations from these countries will be supported in areas such as partner search, consortium-building, proposal  preparation, contract negotiation and project management.
http://www.cordis.lu/inco2/calls/200002.htm 
 

The third Call for Proposals for RTD actions under the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Energy, environment and sustainable development"opened (Call identifier: Energy third call). This call applies to innovative energy technologies and solutions to the EU preoccupations, commitments and targets in relation to climate change and renewable energies. Deadline is 31 May 2000. Those eligible to participate in concerted actions and thematic networks may submit proposals to any part of the work programme. Deadline is 31 May 2000 or 1 September 2000
http://www.cordis.lu/eesd/calls/b_200001.htm 
 

The "Call for Proposals for indirect RTD actions under the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration on confirming the international role of Community research " (Call identifier:  (ICFP500A4PR02). Policy research on the conditions for sustainable development, systems research on natural capital and the human environment, including health, and tools for sustainable development are priorities. The call is open for Mediterranean countries (including Mediterranean partner countries) until 15 September 2000.
http://www.cordis.lu/inco2/calls/200001.htm 
 
 
 

COASTAL GUIDE NEWS is a biweekly newsletter published by the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC) with financial support of Stichting DOEN, the foundation of the Dutch lottery "Postcode Loterij" and the Department of International Nature Affairs of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. For free subscriptions, comments or contributions to this newsletter, please contact news@coastalguide.org.

Members of the Coastal Guide News editorial team: Erik Devilee, P.J. van der Hulst, Irene Lucius, René van Oers, and Albert Salman.
 

Established in 1989, the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC) is an association involving the largest coastal network in Europe with 750 members and member organisations in 40 countries. For more information please contact EUCC International Secretariat, POBox 11232, NL-2301 EE Leiden, the Netherlands, tel.: +31-71-5122900, internet: http://www.eucc.nl 
 

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