Evaluation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in ...

Evaluation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Europe – Final Report
on measurement methods and sampling, frequencies and exchanges
of information on fresh water quality; the fish water, shellfish
water, and ground water directives; and finally the directive on
dangerous substances discharges.
Streamlining of
legislation
Other directives relevant in connection with the WFD pursuing the
protection of water quality in one way or another are:
• The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, providing for
secondary (biological) waste water treatment, and even more
stringent treatment where necessary
• The Nitrates Directive, addressing water pollution by nitrates
from agriculture
• The Drinking Water Directive, reviewing the quality standards
• The Directive for Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control
(IPPC), addressing pollution from large industrial installations.
ICZM Context
The main area of the WFD are inland waters, however, coastal
waters up to one nautical mile off the coastal baseline are explicitly
included. The Water Framework Directive and the EU ICZM Recommendation
provide opportunities for coupling coastal zone
management with catchment basin management. Such freshwatermarine
system coupling has a good prospect of resulting in lower
pollutant loads and improved conditions in estuaries (EEA 2006, p.
84). However, due to complexity of marine systems, even largerscale
integrated management initiatives are required for effective
management of coastal and marine systems over the long term. This
requires continuing coordination and synergy of WFD with the
European Marine Strategy and creating the legal grounds for
catchment-coastal continuum. This shall also serve as a sound basis
for the environmental pillar of the emerging EU Maritime Policy. It
favours integration at all levels, and therefore represents a positive
step forward towards the sustainable management of the coastal
zone.
5.1.3 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
The main objective of the SEA directive is to 'provide for a high level
of environmental protection and to contribute to the integration of
environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of
plans and programmes...' (Article 1 of the SEA Directive). The
purpose of the SEA-Directive is to ensure that environmental
consequences of certain plans and programmes are identified and
assessed during their preparation and before their adoption. The
public and environmental authorities can give their opinion and all
results are integrated and taken into account in the course of the
planning procedure. In the case of likely significant transboundary
effects the affected Member State and its public are informed and
have the possibility to make comments which are also integrated into
the national decision making process. The SEA will thus contribute to
more transparent planning by involving the public and by integrating
environmental considerations. This will help to achieve the goal of
Coupling of
coastal zone and
catchment basin
management
Environmental
assessment prior
to adoption of
plans and
programmes
18 August 2006 199