Towards a Strategy for Syria's Coast Mediterranean Workshop on
ICZM Policy Alghero, Sardinia (Italy), 19-21 May 2008 Slide 2 May
08Syria Coast: towards a strategy2 Background Information
(National) State area: 185,180 km 2 Population (2008): 20 M.
Population (2025): 28.5 M. Coast length: 183 km Seacoast is a
Scarce Resource to Syria ! Coast Length per Capita (cm.) 0 2 4 6 8
10 12 20002025 SyriaMed avg. 10 times more 15 times more Slide 3
May 08Syria Coast: towards a strategy3 Background Information
(Coastal) 30km 140km Lattakia Gov. Tartous Gov. 420,000 130,000
60,000 45,000 Coastal Region: Coastal Strip: Coastal Zone: (ICZM)
2.5% of total country area 10% of coastal region s area Landward +
Seaward strips alongside the Shoreline 10% of population 10% of
population 40% of its population 40% of its population Slide 4 May
08Syria Coast: towards a strategy4 Coastal Zone s Environmental
Problems 1.Physical alteration of the coastline. 2.Degradation of
natural and cultural heritage. 3.Pollution with solid wastes and
coastal litters. 4.Water pollution. 5.Deterioration of marine
ecological resources and biodiversity. Slide 5 May 08Syria Coast:
towards a strategy5 Root Causes of Coastal Zone s Environmental
Degradation Socio-Economic: Population growth Population growth
Urbanization Urbanization Unemployment Unemployment Development of
maritime economy Development of maritime economy Tourism growth
Tourism growth Industrialization Industrialization Agricultural
intensification Agricultural intensificationManagerial: Weak
spatial planning & cross-sectoral planning Weak spatial
planning & cross-sectoral planning Multiplicity of legislative
and administrative tools: Multiplicity of legislative and
administrative tools: - Environmental - Ecological - Maritime -
Water res. & wastewater - Tourism - Local administration -
Protected areas Slide 6 May 08Syria Coast: towards a strategy6
Current policies and tools.. Why failing? lack of unified
management Weak horizontal cooperation Weakness within each
authority Weak public participatio n Proliferation of authorities
& overlapping competencies Failure of current policies and
tools Weakness in planning Slide 7 May 08Syria Coast: towards a
strategy7 Challenges and Opportunities Crowded interest Increasing
threats of; - Pollution - Concretization - Loss of eco-resources -
Loss of cultural identity - Environmental degradation -
Vulnerability How Syria can maximize benefit from its narrow window
to the sea with preserving the coastal environment and natural
scene? Relative smallness of the targeted area; Relative smallness
of the targeted area; - Bearable financial costs - Achievable
non-financial requirements Mediterranean and international
cooperation Mediterranean and international cooperation Slide 8 May
08Syria Coast: towards a strategy8 How can ICZM be achieved in
Syria? Policy recommendations Coastal Law Vision Protection &
Conservation Clean Sweep 2025 Supervision Regional & Int l
coop. Institutional Development Coast Day EMS ICZM Supreme Body
Planning Strategies Action Plans Policies Governance Actions
National Coastal Conference Steering Council Participation Slide 9
May 08Syria Coast: towards a strategy9 Thank you for your kind
attention Housney Al-Azmeh SMAP III National Consultant Tel. +963
11 2313372 e-mail [email protected][email protected]
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
