Sustainable coastal development indicator system studies in Latvia

Abstract

An appropriate characterization of preconditions and trends for decision-making towards the sustainable development of coastal territories in Latvia determines the need for further studies of existing wide experience and particular methods for development of European, nationwide and/or local coastal information systems. Analysis of the framework and content establishment as well as data gathering and calculation approaches for sustainable coastal development (SCD) indicators system creation, functioning and future challenges has been carried out based on a specific set of coastal indicators elaborated at the EU level, application experience of the related EU Interreg IIIC Deduce project and, particularly, the indicators system test run in Latvia, whilst also including the following practice evaluation by coastal municipalities and other main actors in the field.An initial SCD indicator system proposal for Latvia is elaborated, recognizing the main typical features of nature-environmental and socio-economic conditions, spatial scale and data gathering selective differences as well as identifying institutions and actors to be involved. The system proposal distinguishes 24 indicators, including ones for the assessment of the development of human resources and integrated management capacities, with this constituting the additional and most important SCD sector goal. These several integrative indicators shall provide information on integrated coastal sustainability and its management, particularly with regard to the efficiency of the coastal communication process. However, further testing and elaborations are required to secure the evaluation of coastal awareness, public participation, municipal planning and practice, as well as to integrate this together with well-tested bottom-up or participatory designed indicators system application.

Municipal Thematical and Territorial Indicator Systems for Sustainable Socio-Ecological Coastal Governance

“…The indicator systems (IS) for sustainable development governance (SDG) had been developing initially on the basis of environmental indicators, later environmental, social and economic dimensions gradually became more evenly balanced and were more often supplemented by the fourth dimension -the governance dimension (Alberta et al 2016;Ernšteins et al 2009Ernšteins et al , 2011Hezri, Dovers 2006;Mascarenhas et al 2010Mascarenhas et al , 2014Moreno, Fidelis 2015;Rinne et al 2013;Valtenbergs et al 2013). Important contribution for practically applicable IS has been given by FAO producing theoretical outlines and practice conclusions.…”

“…The summary of the assessment of coastal sustainability of Latvia in accordance with the data obtained from EU DEDUCE project ( (Marti et al 2007;Ernšteins et al 2009) is following:…”

Integrated coastal management for local municipalities in Latvia: sustainability governance and indicator system

“…Following are ICM development studies [6] in Latvia, particularly using Saulkrasti municipality case study research example, based on previous experiences [7][8][9] and approaches designed and implemented [10]. Description of Saulkrasti municipality in brief would include following.…”

“…The system was elaborated based on the analysis of four dimensions of sustainability (natural, social and economic environment, governance and communication) and integrative problem areas as defined on their points of intersection. In Saulkrasti municipality, the coast may be defined in the following ways based on the character of indicator data spatial distribution: coastal geometrical zone, which is formed as a coastal geometrical buffer; pointshaped measurement locations on the coast; coastal dune protection zone with adjacent protected biotopes; coastal 5 km-wide zone of limited economic activity, which can be adjusted depending on local geographical conditions [9,10]. For the last two, it is defined with the help of municipal spatial planning, in Saulkrasti its spatial plan is still under preparation.…”

Sustainable development indicators for integrated coastal management: definition area and spatial properties

“…3), had in 2009-2010 coastal integrated development guidelines elaborated for it within the University of Latvia COBWEB project (COBWEB [15]), as the central component of municipal integrated governance. Special attention was devoted to measuring sustainability, and for this purpose, a system of indicators was developed.…”