The European approach to integrated management: are there lessons for the China Seas region?

Abstract

The terrible events and human tragedy of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004, brought home to the world the unpredictable nature of the ocean in relation to affairs of mankind. It was a timely reminder of the fragility of the coastal zone when faced with the awesome power of the sea.1 These catastrophic events demonstrate the importance of planning and management in coastal and ocean regions.