Integrated Coastal Zone Management

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a system that attempts to promote coastal well-being and sustainability by using an approach that integrates all aspects of the coastal zone, including geographical and political boundaries. Natural processes that occur within the coastal zone (broadly defined as the points of interaction between the land and the ocean) are responsible for creating and nurturing diverse forms of life, which account for over 25% of global productivity with valuable resources such as fish and minerals found in these areas. Due to overexploitation of coastal resources, the coastal zone has come under severe stress, warranting a new approach to manage human behaviour in coastal regions.