ABSTRACT
More than 70% of the world’s megacities (greater than 8 millioninhabitants)arelocatedincoastalareas.Bytheyear2025, coastalpopulationsareexpectedtoaccountfor75%ofthetotal worldpopulation(UNESCO,2001).Coastalwaterssupport amultitudeofimportantsocialandeconomicactivitiesthat includenavigation,amenities,Ÿshingandmariculture,energy production,watersupplyandtourism.Rapidurbanizationand industrializationplaceincreasingpressureontheintegrityof coastalandmarineecosystems;thisconcernisespeciallyrelevantinmanyfast-developingeconomies.Soundintegrated environmentalandresourcemanagementisneededforthesustainable development of coastal cities.
