I. INTRODUCTION

1.1.    Coastal ecosystems are under threat, nowhere more so than in Europe. According to a recent study by the World Resources Institute 70% of European coastlines are highly threatened, the highest percentage of any region in the world, as indicated by the density of population, roads, pipelines, utilities, cities and major ports. Coastal ecosystems are highly productive and extremely sensitive to such development, and are valuable both ecologically and economically. Coastal waters are the nurseries for most commercial fish and shellfish stocks; coastal tourism is an important source of revenue; and healthy coastal wetlands provide a buffer zone against the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels. As populations continue to migrate from inland to coastal areas, and from rural to urban areas, irreversible impacts on coastlines will occur if we continue to ignore these phenomeous.

The concept of a Pan-European Code of Conduct for Coastal Zones was first proposed by the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC) in 1993, as a means to provide practical guidance to public agencies, local authorities, coastal users, and others with regard to ecologically sustainable development in the coastal zone.

The proposal to develop such a Code of Conduct was formally adopted by European Environment Ministers in October, 1995, as part of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS). The Strategy is part of the European implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, agreed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992. It is being promoted and co-ordinated by a variety of institutions, including the Council of Europe and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and with in particular the Word Conservation Union (IUCN), the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention and the European Centre for Nature Conservation. Over the next 20 years, the Strategy will promote the integration of biological and landscape diversity considerations into social and economic sectors. The Strategy provides a framework for action on 11 different themes, including on Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (Action Theme 5). The Code of Conduct is part of the implementation plan for this Action Theme.

The Code of Conduct provides practical guidelines for the conservation of nature and biodiversity in coastal areas, fully recognising that socio-economic development in these regions will continue to occur. It covers both direct impacts (spatial developments and habitat destruction) as well as indirect impacts (habitat degradation and health impacts on wildlife and humans as a result of pollution).

It focuses primarily on the key socio-economic sectors identified in the PEBLDS Strategy, although some have less bearing on the coast than others, and with the addition of a section on coastal protection sector. These are:
 

There are also many recommendations that apply to all sectors. These are included in the Chapters titled “Strategic Principles” and "Integrated Coastal Management".

Strategic Principles include guidelines relating to the protection of coastal system dynamics, and as such should be applied to all coastal development.

The Chapter "Integrated Coastal Management" provide insight into principles of integrated coastal zone management, environmental impact assessment, the use of financial instruments and incentives, and the encouragement of public participation in decision-making.

1.2.    The following Code of Conduct represents an attempt at providing a basis for the further elaboration of the Code of Conduct on a regional level, through a consultative process involving organisations and individuals representative of each of the sectors. As such it attempts to bring together current thinking as expressed in existing codes, guidelines and action plans which relate to coastal management in general and specific economic sectors in particular. In the past, these have tended to be highly prescriptive and the present Code reflects this approach. However as the discussion evolves it is intended that a balance will be found between prescriptive guidelines and the presentation of existing best practice examples which make sense both economically and ecologically. The Code of Conduct is not intended to be a doctrine of "Thou Shalt Nots", but is meant to provide practical assistance and guidance in the achievement of sustainable development in coastal regions. It is intended that this approach will lead to a better dialogue within and between the sectors, and with those promoting a more integrated and sustainable form of coastal and marine management and use.

Ultimately, the Code of Conduct will need to be adapted to the specific circumstances pertaining to different types of coastal systems. Some of the guidelines that follow will most certainly not be applicable in all circumstances. It is anticipated that the users of the Code of Conduct will use their best judgement to determine which practices are and are not appropriate to the local environment. This holds particularly true in the case of coastal states, small island countries and islands in general which encounter special constraints. To this end, it is envisaged that individual Codes for the Baltic Sea Region, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and so forth will be elaborated in the coming years. This document represents the first stage in a process which should stimulate further discussion and dialogue.

Throughout this Code of Conduct, a variety of terms relating to the coast are used. It is not the intent to precisely define such terms given the wide variety of definitions used in the literature, and particularly in the source reports used to draw up this Code of Conduct. For general purposes, however, the following definitions could be assumed: