CHAPTER 19 . Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Sweden
373
economic activity. In the terminology of economists, demand exceeding supply is a
potential source of conflicts. This applies equally to the use of natural resources as to
all other factors of production. The normal supply of and demand for environmental
services engenders an ambient background level of conflicts under any resource use
scheme. This level of conflict associated with "normal" use may be modified if additional environmental, economic or social variables change. We distinguish between
• changes in natural conditions,
• changes induced by planning and management, and
• changes induced by social change.
"Changed natural conditions" includes highly variable, catastrophic or even "chaotic" cfianges in the environmental conditions in coastal areas. Examples are changes
in the geomorphology, as through landslides or changes in sediment deposition areas
along a coast line. These changes affect the supply of environmental services. It does
not matter whether the changes are man induced or the result of the natural evolution
of coastal geomorphology. What matters is that it affects the supply of environmental
services and consequently the potential for conflict between resource users.
Inappropriate planning and management, including other forms of regulation can
have an adverse impact on both, the supply and the demand side of environmental
services. Examples are subsidies, taxation policies or land use planning measures that
act as incentives in favor of certain types of resource exploitation. Such incentive are
often also direct contributors to the over exploitation of those resources and exacerbate existing conflicts over scarce resources.
Changes in socially accepted values and norms of behaviour can also affect the mix
of resource exploitation in the near-shore environment. The societal debate over what
is a desirable lifestyle, is in part responsible for changing perception of the value of
nature among various subgroups in our societies. Such changes affect the demand for
environmental resources of the coastal environment.
The changes that are required to protect the ecological and economic assets of the
coastal zone in the long term will entail a very substantial cost to society, and every
effort must therefore be ,made to develop methods and systems which are effective. At
present there are few economic or legal incentives to take account of the value of functioningecosystems and the products and services they provide. An important objective is to develop practicable methods of harnessing the value of these assets.
References
Ackefors H, Grip K (1995) The Swedish model for coastal zone management. Report 4455, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm
Ackefors H, Haamer J (1987) A new swedish technique for culturing blue mussel. Research report C,
M.1987/K:36, International Council for the Explflration of the Sea (ICES), Copenhagen
Ackefors H, Grip K, Holmstrtim-Dhejne N (eds) (1982) Vattenbruk f6r Sverige. Ftirslag till atgiirder.
(Aquaculture in Sweden, Proposed actions) Repflrt 82:14, FRN Forskningsriidsnamnden, Stockholm
Ackefors H, Johansson N, Wailiberg B (1991) The Swedish compensatory programme for salmon in the
Baltic: An action plan with biological and economic implications. ICES Marine Science Symposium 192:109-119
Alessi M de (1998) Fishing for solutions. lEA Studies on the Environment N° 11, Institute of Economic
Affairs, London
373
economic activity. In the terminology of economists, demand exceeding supply is a
potential source of conflicts. This applies equally to the use of natural resources as to
all other factors of production. The normal supply of and demand for environmental
services engenders an ambient background level of conflicts under any resource use
scheme. This level of conflict associated with "normal" use may be modified if additional environmental, economic or social variables change. We distinguish between
• changes in natural conditions,
• changes induced by planning and management, and
• changes induced by social change.
"Changed natural conditions" includes highly variable, catastrophic or even "chaotic" cfianges in the environmental conditions in coastal areas. Examples are changes
in the geomorphology, as through landslides or changes in sediment deposition areas
along a coast line. These changes affect the supply of environmental services. It does
not matter whether the changes are man induced or the result of the natural evolution
of coastal geomorphology. What matters is that it affects the supply of environmental
services and consequently the potential for conflict between resource users.
Inappropriate planning and management, including other forms of regulation can
have an adverse impact on both, the supply and the demand side of environmental
services. Examples are subsidies, taxation policies or land use planning measures that
act as incentives in favor of certain types of resource exploitation. Such incentive are
often also direct contributors to the over exploitation of those resources and exacerbate existing conflicts over scarce resources.
Changes in socially accepted values and norms of behaviour can also affect the mix
of resource exploitation in the near-shore environment. The societal debate over what
is a desirable lifestyle, is in part responsible for changing perception of the value of
nature among various subgroups in our societies. Such changes affect the demand for
environmental resources of the coastal environment.
The changes that are required to protect the ecological and economic assets of the
coastal zone in the long term will entail a very substantial cost to society, and every
effort must therefore be ,made to develop methods and systems which are effective. At
present there are few economic or legal incentives to take account of the value of functioningecosystems and the products and services they provide. An important objective is to develop practicable methods of harnessing the value of these assets.
References
Ackefors H, Grip K (1995) The Swedish model for coastal zone management. Report 4455, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm
Ackefors H, Haamer J (1987) A new swedish technique for culturing blue mussel. Research report C,
M.1987/K:36, International Council for the Explflration of the Sea (ICES), Copenhagen
Ackefors H, Grip K, Holmstrtim-Dhejne N (eds) (1982) Vattenbruk f6r Sverige. Ftirslag till atgiirder.
(Aquaculture in Sweden, Proposed actions) Repflrt 82:14, FRN Forskningsriidsnamnden, Stockholm
Ackefors H, Johansson N, Wailiberg B (1991) The Swedish compensatory programme for salmon in the
Baltic: An action plan with biological and economic implications. ICES Marine Science Symposium 192:109-119
Alessi M de (1998) Fishing for solutions. lEA Studies on the Environment N° 11, Institute of Economic
Affairs, London