A river basin – coastal zone approach: The Oder Estuary Case Study (IKZM-Oder)

1. A river basin – coastal zone approach:The Oder Estuary Case Study (IKZM-Oder) Gerald Schernewski Project partners: H. Behrens, S. Bock, P. Dehne, W. Erbguth, B. Glaeser, G. Janssen, W. Kazakos, N. Löser, T. Neumann, T. Permien, B. Schuldt, H. Sordyl, W. Steingrube, L. Vetter & K. Wirtz Baltic Sea Research Institute Warnemünde & EUCC – The Coastal Union Germany

2. Research for an Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement in the Oder/Odra estuary region (IKZM-Oder) Integrative – interdisciplinary – transsectoral Funding: May 2004 – April 2007; 2 Mio. Euro • Baltic Sea Research Institute (IOW) (Coordination) together with EUCC-Germany e.V. • ARCADIS Consult GmbH, Rostock together with FZI Research Center for Information Technologies, Karlsruhe • University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning together with ICBM – University Oldenburg, Junior Research Group IMPULSE • Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB) • University of Greifswald, Chair for Economic- and Social Geography, Greifswald • Leibniz-Institute of Ecological Spatial Development e.V. (IÖR), Dresden • University of Rostock, Baltic Institute for Marine and Environmental Law (OSU) • Institute for Applied Ecology GmbH, Brodersdorf In close cooperation with:Regional and local authorities, federal state ministries, local stakeholder and international organisations

3. Research for an Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement in the Oder/Odra estuary region: General aims • To carry out research with regional, national and international relevance, • to establish and maintain a regional (national and international) case study on ICZM in the Oder/Odra estuary region and • to take into account the river basin – coast interactions and the effect of changes in the river basin (land use, global change) on the coast and the sea. The project is: one out of two national German ICZM case studies of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, an United Nations Environment Program “Integrated Coastal Area - River Basin Management (ICARM)” case study, a LOICZ (Land Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone) project and an EUCC - The Coastal Union case study.

4. The Oder/Odra estuary region A coastal region • characterised by a complex pattern of land, lagoons and sea • divided between Germany and Poland and • dominated by the Oder/Odra river basin ! requires a spatially integrative approach taking care of all these elements

5. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Germany: Deficits National level: • Lack of an institutional and strategic framework for ICZM as well as sectoral legislation with many split-up competences. • Administrative allocation of the German coastal zone to five federal states. • Strict division between land and sea with insufficient coordination and integrated planning. • Late and indirect public involvement and stakeholder participation in planning processes.

6. (Warnemünde-Kühlungsborn ICZM case study on marinas, beach management and dredging1) Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM): Lessons learned Regional level: • Information about problems in the coastal zone and awareness of ICZM is inadequate. • The willingness of well informed people to co-operate is available but decreases as soon as own competences are questioned. • There is no real awareness concerning future challenges (climate change) and problems and a vision how to develop the coastal zone is lacking. • A lot of regional data and information exists but its availability is insufficient. On the other hand, decisions are made by persons not by data and facts. • The general communication between science, authorities and administration is not well developed. Communication is more important than data and facts. • Processes in regions are often driven by several key-persons, which have to be identified and involved. 1: Schernewski (2004): Agenda 21 in the Baltic and regional Integrated Coastal Zone Management, HTG-Jahrbuch

7. (Warnemünde-Kühlungsborn ICZM case study on marinas, beach management and dredging1) Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM): Lessons learned Regional level: • Even well defined conflicts often require the involvement of an unexpected large number of stakeholder. The motivation of stakeholder is a major task. • A regional political commitment and a permanent framework e.g. for discussions is necessary but lacking. • ICZM-Initiatives hardly ever will have the staff and the financial means to establish and maintain new structures. They have to utilise and promote existing structures. • An ICZM-Initiative has to have very practical relevance. • Results have to be available in the native language. ! To carry out research in a region and with real involvement of the region increases the acceptance of the results but requires a lot of efforts. 1: Schernewski (2004): Agenda 21 in the Baltic and regional Integrated Coastal Zone Management, HTG-Jahrbuch

8. (Warnemünde-Kühlungsborn ICZM case study on marinas, beach management and dredging1) Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM): Perspectives The Agenda 21 forms a suitable basis for ICZM • Nearly every community has local Agenda 21 groups with many active and interested people as well as good local knowledge. • Altogether 12 professional persons were employed to support and coordinate Agenda 21 processes in the region, but they had a different perspectives and were employed by different administrations, authorities and universities. • Joint meetings were rare and communication and co-ordination was not well developed. A joint regional Agenda-Forum dealing with ICZM was appreciated. Spatial planning as key-actor in ICZM • Spatial planning covers already many aspects of ICZM in Germany. • Many spatial planning agencies are aware of future challenges, the need of ICZM and their own prominent role in ICZM. • Spatial planning agencies are often open for co-operation and offer the possibility to implement ICZM activities and ideas into concrete spatial plans. 1: Schernewski (2004): Agenda 21 in the Baltic and regional Integrated Coastal Zone Management, HTG-Jahrbuch

9. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) The Agenda 21 & ICZM Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992. Programme Areas • Integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources. • Integrated management and sustainable development of coastal and marine areas, including exclusive economic zones. • ……..

10. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) The Baltic Agenda 21 & ICZM In 1996, the Prime Ministers of the Baltic Sea Region took the initiative to develop an Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region. In 1998, the Foreign Ministers adopted the Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region, which includes agreed overall goals and sectoral goals and an action programme for sustainable development. Baltic 21 Action Programme: Spatial Planning Actions • Implementation of Stockholm Declaration on Sustainable Spatial Development Policy. • Further Development of Integrated Coastal Zone Management. • Integration of Baltic 21 into European spatial planning documents.

11. The Oder/Odra estuary region A coastal region • characterised by a complex pattern of land, lagoons and sea • divided between Germany and Poland and • dominated by the Oder/Odra river basin ! requires a spatially integrative approach taking care of all these elements

12. Traditional branches of economy in decline: Agriculture & fisheries Pictures: Schernewski & www.IKZM-Oder.de

13. Gradients between east and west: The German/Polish border Pictures: www.IKZM-Oder.de

14. Gradients between Baltic coast and hinterland: Towns & ressorts Pictures: www.IKZM-Oder.de

15. A story of success: Tourism Pictures: Schernewski 2000

16. An ongoing struggle: Erosion and coastal protection Pictures: Schernewski 2001

17. A rich and diverse heritage: Nature protection Pictures: Schernewski

18. Destruction of the natural heritage: Eutrophication Satellite image: Siegel et al. 2000 Pictures: Schernewski 2000

19. ICZM-Oder: Reserach activities • ICZM stocktaking and evaluation according to the EC-recommendations on ICZM • Recommendations towards a national ICZM-strategy • Analysis and evaluation of catchment – coast interactions • Analysis of climate change impacts on the river basin, their implications for coastal waters and consequences for ICZM and planning • Harmonisation and integration of German and Polish ICZM-tools and plans • Integration of coastal waters in planning • Development and application of indicators for sustainable development and ICZM • Suggestions towards a sustainable tourism Research is based on concrete regional demands, desiged to overcome existing ICZM deficts and carried out by an interdisciplinary and trans-sectoral group.

20. ICZM-Oder: Infrastructure activities • Regional information system ‘IKZM-Oder’ (www.ikzm-oder.de) with • GIS-supported ICZM system Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and • ICZM-learning and awareness rising system • Decision Support System • Aims are • to integrate and co-ordinate research activities, • to create permanent structures and to keep results available, • to form an umbrella for regional activities, data and information, • to improve the awareness about regional problems and ICZM • to improve the information exhange between the German and Polish side and • to evaluate the use of internet-based tools in ICZM.

21. ICZM-Oder:Benefits for the region and transferability • Provision of concrete and regional relevant products and results (e.g. on WFD, Natura 2000, ICZM-recommendations). • Promotion of the German-Polish integration and the identification of the population with the region. • Awareness-building for sustainability and ICZM. • Permanent provision of data, facts, information and tools to catalyze and objectify decision-making processes. • Umbrella function for activities and support of concrete projects to implement results. • Promotion as a national and worldwide ICZM model region. How can a regional benefit be ensured? • Permanent involvement of a German/Polish steering committee consisting of regional practitioners (12 persons) in the project. • Establishment of a permanent regional office (3 persons). • Frequent regional cross-border and coast-river basin workshops. • Information and consultation of regional and cross-border bodies and organisations. • Utilisation of existing regional structures, like the regional Agenda 21

22. Regional Agenda 21:Oder Lagoon – Region owned by two nations Agreement between the Minister of the Enviromment Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany) and the Vice-Marshal of the Voivodeship West Pomerania (Poland) (September 2002). Action programme • Education and the development of Local Agendas 21 • Raising of an environmental awareness in the region • Sustainable tourism • Ecological landuse • Marketing of regional products • Environmentally sound technologies • Renewable energy • Protection of the cultural heritage • Integrated Coastal Zone Management • Scientific co-operation The Agenda 21 forms the basic political commitment for our work and is the framework and forum for discussions, public participation, co-operation and education across the border and between catchment and coast. It is directly supported by the project.

23. Conclusions • In coastal research the human factor plays an important role as driving force and as well as a user of the results. • Applied research has to be carried out with potential users and not only for them. • Research supporting ICZM has to be much more interdisciplinary and spatially integrative (catchment-coast-sea). • If scientific results shall have a practical impact it requires efforts from the scientific side and a clear dissemination strategy has to be available already from the beginning of a project. • Scientific projects on ICZM hardly have the potential to create new structures. They should look how to utilise existing bodies and co-operations and how to involve regional people. • A lasting initiative requires a political commitment. At least in Germany, regional Agenda 21 are a good basis

24. Project perspectives • Existing structures ensure a long-term use of results after the project. • The integration of companies and organisations (EUCC) allow later use of the results and their further development on the level of sponsors and economy. • Both the regional Agenda 21-process and the UNEP-support are long-term and allow continuous and additional funding. ! Sustainable and future-oriented by varied integration and adaptive management.

25. Gliederung des Vortrags: • Regionale Probleme • Defizite in der Region und Notwendigkeit • Future challenges and pressures EU, Global Change • How to overcome the problems: ICZM and the Agenda 21 • Possiblities to overcome the problems: information sharin, research, communication, (ICARM-Folie) • Major problem “commitment”: solution regional Agenda 21 • The project ……. • Forschungbedarf aus praktisch relevanten Problemem abgeleitet, ‘Forscher sind eine Art Dienstleister’ • Inhaltliche Integration (interdisziplinarität) • Indikatoren • Strukturelle Intregration (Koordination) • Beispiel Internetplattform • Räumliche Integration (incl. Wasser + catchment) • Hierarchische Integration ( cooperation mit versch. Ebenen der verwaltung): Steuergremium • Regionale Integration & Partzipation : Agenda 21 • Länderübergreifend – International Case study (UNEP-ICARM, LOICZ, CoPraNet • Nachhaltig (strukturen erhalten) • Zukunftsorientiert (visionen und adaptives Management • Global Change • Praktisch relevant • Konkrete Umsetzungprojekte • Einleitung jeweils mit Zitat, und Bild • Ziele vorweg

26. ICZM-Oder: River basin – coast interactions • Neu !! Neu