collectively representative of the diversity of European coastal regions with common
issues and opportunities as well as local specificities (see Table 7.1).
7.2.2.1 Belgian Coastal Zone (North Sea Region)
The Belgian coast (60 km length) and hinterland face environmental and economic
stresses from intensive multifunctional use of space. Land- and sea-based activities
such as agriculture, fisheries, agro-food industry, transport, energy production and
recreation are closely interwoven and compete for space. New development opportunities for this densely populated region are created by Blue Growth, in particular
energy production (both on- and offshore) which creates opportunities for new jobs
and strategic specialization of port activities – this includes innovative production
methods using wave and tidal energy. Belgium is world leader in terms of know-how
related to offshore energy production and the first country to implement the
multipurpose use of offshore wind farms (i.e. combined with shellfish aquaculture).
That said, the quality of freshwater resources is under pressure, and land-based
Fig. 7.2 Location of the six COASTAL case studies (cf. COASTAL project)
(VITO), Bastiaan Notebaert (VITO); France, Françoise Vernier (IRSTEA), Jean-Marie Lescot
(IRSTEA); Romania, Luminita Lazar (NIMRD), Ruxandra Pop (ICEADR); Sweden, Georgia
Destouni (SU), Samaneh Seifollahi-Aghmiuni (SU), Zahra Kalantari (SU); Greece, Giorgos
Maneas (SU), Aris Karageorgis, (HCMR), Håkon Berg (SU); Spain, Javier Martínez-López
(CSIC), Joris de Vente (CSIC))
7 Increasing Land-Sea Synergies and Coastal-Rural Collaboration for a Healthy. . .
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issues and opportunities as well as local specificities (see Table 7.1).
7.2.2.1 Belgian Coastal Zone (North Sea Region)
The Belgian coast (60 km length) and hinterland face environmental and economic
stresses from intensive multifunctional use of space. Land- and sea-based activities
such as agriculture, fisheries, agro-food industry, transport, energy production and
recreation are closely interwoven and compete for space. New development opportunities for this densely populated region are created by Blue Growth, in particular
energy production (both on- and offshore) which creates opportunities for new jobs
and strategic specialization of port activities – this includes innovative production
methods using wave and tidal energy. Belgium is world leader in terms of know-how
related to offshore energy production and the first country to implement the
multipurpose use of offshore wind farms (i.e. combined with shellfish aquaculture).
That said, the quality of freshwater resources is under pressure, and land-based
Fig. 7.2 Location of the six COASTAL case studies (cf. COASTAL project)
(VITO), Bastiaan Notebaert (VITO); France, Françoise Vernier (IRSTEA), Jean-Marie Lescot
(IRSTEA); Romania, Luminita Lazar (NIMRD), Ruxandra Pop (ICEADR); Sweden, Georgia
Destouni (SU), Samaneh Seifollahi-Aghmiuni (SU), Zahra Kalantari (SU); Greece, Giorgos
Maneas (SU), Aris Karageorgis, (HCMR), Håkon Berg (SU); Spain, Javier Martínez-López
(CSIC), Joris de Vente (CSIC))
7 Increasing Land-Sea Synergies and Coastal-Rural Collaboration for a Healthy. . .
111