Coastal systems and continental margins : Volume 11, Asian-Pacific coasts and their management : states of environment

The Asia-Pacific region is home to the world’s largest region of coral reefs and mangroves. It accommodates two-thirds of the world’s human population and its economic activities have the highest growth rate in the world. Ongoing degradation of the environment, resulting from coastal development, deforestation, desertification and over-harvesting, are becoming a matter of great concern, as floods and droughts occur as a result of this degradation. The Asia-Pacific region also includes part of the ‘Pacific Rim of Fire’ and is, therefore, vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis, as the world became aware following the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami on 26 December 2004. Threats of global environmental change, such as climate change and sea-level rise, will exacerbate such problems. Therefore, appropriate policies and measures are needed for coastal management, to address both the local and global trends. This book gives an overview of the state-of-the-art understanding on the drivers, state, and responses to coastal environmental changes in the Asia-Pacific region. It provides excellent perspectives on current and anticipated environmental changes in the region’s coastal areas, to researchers, students, policy makers, coastal managers and other stakeholders. __Audience:__This book will be of interest to researchers of coastal science, undergraduate and graduate students of coastal science, engineering and management, to policy makers, coastal managers and coastal developers, and to the fishing industry. The Asia-Pacific region is home to the world’s largest region of coral reefs and mangroves. It accommodates two-thirds of the world’s human population and its economic activities have the highest growth rate in the world. Ongoing degradation of the environment, resulting from coastal development, deforestation, desertification and over-harvesting, are becoming a matter of great concern, as floods and droughts occur as a result of this degradation. The Asia-Pacific region also includes part of the ‘Pacific Rim of Fire’ and is, therefore, vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis, as the world became aware following the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami on 26 December 2004. Threats of global environmental change, such as climate change and sea-level rise, will exacerbate such problems. Therefore, appropriate policies and measures are needed for coastal management, to address both the local and global trends. This book gives an overview of the state-of-the-art understanding on the drivers, state, and responses to coastal environmental changes in the Asia-Pacific region. It provides excellent perspectives on current and anticipated environmental changes in the region’s coastal areas, to researchers, students, policy makers, coastal managers and other stakeholders. Audience: This book will be of interest to researchers of coastal science, undergraduate and graduate students of coastal science, engineering and management, to policy makers, coastal managers and coastal developers, and to the fishing industry. "This book gives an overview of the understanding of the drivers, state, and responses to coastal environmental changes in the Asia-Pacific region. It provides perspectives on current and anticipated environmental changes in the region's coastal areas to researchers, students, policy makers, coastal managers and other stakeholders." "This book will be of interest to researchers, undergraduate and graduate students in coastal science, engineering and management, to policy makers, coastal managers and coastal developers, and to the fishing industry."--BOOK JACKET Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Introduction: Scope and Objectives of This Book....Pages 1-5 Drivers for Changes in the Coastal Zone....Pages 7-63 Environment Problems in the Coastal Zone....Pages 65-171 Policy for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Coastal Zone....Pages 173-253 Regional Conditions....Pages 255-344 Conclusions: The Rapidly Changing Environment of the Asia and Pacific Region and its Implications for Sustainability of the Coastal Zones....Pages 345-358 Back Matter....Pages 359-367 The Asia and Pacific region is home to the world’s largest concentration of coral reefs and mangroves. It accommodates two-thirds of the world’s human population and its economic activities have the highest growth rate in the world. This book gives an overview of the state-of-the-art understanding on the drivers, state, and responses to the coastal environmental changes in the Asia and Pacific region. It provides important perspectives on the subject for researchers.