Cost-benefits analysis
The coastal and marine habitats of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region support the livelihoods of a rapidly growing population, currently estimated at over 60 million. The region is still one of the least ecologically disturbed in the world, hosting over 2,200 species of fish, including rare and endangered species, such as the dugong, coelacanths, marine turtles, sharks, birds and over 350 species of corals and a diverse assemblage of coastal forests, mangrove forests and sea grass beds.
The issue of shoreline changes has increasingly become a major social, economic and environmental concern to a large number of countries in the western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, where it poses a serious problem to the environment and human settlements.
The following study was undertaken with the objective of assessing the development potential of the fisheries sector in Puntland, in terms of growth potential and actions/interventions required for further development. The assessment is part of UNDP’s efforts to improve livelihoods and promote economic diversification that form part of the UNDP Strategy for Poverty Reduction and Economic Recovery (PRER).
In this report a review of national policies and legislation addressing issues of the alteration and destruction of critical coastal and marine habitats, and the institutional arrangements towards alleviating the same is presented. The land-based social and economic activities impacting on the habitats and the extent to which the latter are affected is assessed. Emphasis has been placed on the link between the impacts and tourism or tourism catalysed activities.
Coastal resources refer to the natural resources found in coastal areas, which is useful for human today or in the coming future, these include fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds and other marine organisms (seaweed, coral reefs) land, forests, coastal waters and wetlands, sand minerals, among others (Walters, 1998; Jin, 2002). These resources are crucial and important and the benefits provided by them are both widely recognized but poorly understood by the majority (Daily, 1997).
The purpose and overall objective of this project is to calculate the total economic value of the marine and coastal resources in both Mozambique and South Africa and to assess the impacts of implementing a sustainable use policy for the region. These individual country reports on the value of the coastal and marine resources will be collated with the various other country assessments of the same nature to create a single ASCLME regional report.
Marine and coastal ecosystems are characterized by their biodiversity richness and have crucial ecosystem goods and services that highly contribute to livelihood of people and economic development of a nation. Various sectors that link to marine and coastal ecosystems services such as fisheries, tourism, marine transportation, oil production,… are important for economic development for a given country. Unfortunately marine resources are threatened by various human pressures and natural catastrophe such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change.
Clean water and the many products and services of aquatic ecosystems are necessities for human welfare. Water connects human societies and ecological systems by providing food and energy. The hydrological cycle maintains the health and stimulates the productivity and diversity of all ecosystems.
The main objective of this book is to provide teachers of primary and secondary schools in the western Indian Ocean (WIO) region with a basic textbook that will allow them to introduce environmental components in the classroom as well as in outdoor activities.
